ADVOCACY SKILLS AND AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS
             For this essay I have chosen to discuss the issue of legal recognition of same sex couples, which I feel has become a major welfare issue affecting many couples within the gay and lesbian community.
             1. In the past few years in Australia there has been a major push by members of the gay and lesbian community, lobby groups and some political parties to fight for the legal recognition of same sex couples. Requests and action plans have been put forward by these groups for change to some of the current Australian government legislation. As it now stands, the current legislation puts same sex couples at a severe disadvantage both financially and legally in regards to issues such as superannuation, death benefits, immigration, adoption, child custody, health funds, taxation and many others. A change to the current legislation to recognize same sex couples (whether it be through marriage or a relationship registrar) would bring them to an equal financial and legal stance as their heterosexual counterparts and put an end to what these couples and other members of the community believe is blatant discrimination of their right to equality.
             2. Same sex couples and their children (if they have them) who have been in loving, long term, committed relationships are now facing the devastating and crippling effects of this discriminatory legislation when they separate, a partner dies or they want to conceive or adopt children etc. Sadly, in the past, their needs and concerns have only fallen on deaf ears and I now feel that new, positive and constructive advocacy is the only way to give this minority group a louder voice to have their needs and concerns listened to, understood and changes made to the current legislation to include same sex couples. Couples who now say they feel like second rate citizens, unequal, disheartened from previous losses and powerless to act. I believe this is definitely ...