Domestic partnership in Tasmania

The Australian state of Tasmania does not recognize same-sex marriage. However, the Relationships Act 2003 provides for recognition and registration of a type of domestic partnership in two distinct categories--Significant Relationships and Caring Relationships. These relationships do not confer all the rights and benefits of marriage.

Significant relationships

From 1 January 2004, both same-sex and mixed-sex couples can register a Significant Relationship if both are unrelated, unmarried adults living in Tasmania. By April 4, 2006, only 63 opposite-sex and same-sex couples had registered, and one male same-sex couple unregistered.^[1]

Caring relationships

Likewise, two adults residing in Tasmania, related or not, can register a Caring Relationship if one provides the other with domestic support and personal care. The parties cannot be married to each other, cannot be in an existing significant or caring relationship, and neither can be receiving payment for the care of the other either from employment or government departments.

Rights and benefits

Both types of relationships provide some rights in the following areas:^[1]

• Superannuation (pension/retirement benefits)
• Taxation
• Insurance
• Health Care
• Hospital Visitation
• Wills
• Property Division
• Employment Conditions (such as parenting and bereavement leave)

Foreign recognition

British law recognizes Significant Relationships as equivalent to civil partnerships in the United Kingdom. The American state of New Jersey recognizes Significant Relationships as equivalent to domestic partnerships in New Jersey, but not civil unions in New Jersey.

Registration

Applications for Significant or Caring Relationships can be registered in person or by mail by filing an application for a Deed of Relationship with the Tasmanian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Hobart. As of July 2007, the registration fee was AUS$137.50.^[2]

References

External links

• Tasmanian Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
• Text of the Tasmanian Relationships Act 2003
• Partners Task Force for Gay and Lesbian Couples: "Relationships Act: The Tasmanian Approach"

	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) series
Homosexuality	Gay • Lesbian • Queer • Banjee • Two-Spirit • Homophobia • Heterosexism • Societal attitudes • Religious attitudes • Biology • Psychology
Bisexuality	Bi-curious • Pansexuality • Gay-for-pay • Prison sexuality • Biphobia • Bisexual chic • Bisexual erasure • Media portrayal
Transgender	Transgender • Transsexualism • Transvestism • Cross-dressing • Genderqueer • Androgyny • Third gender • Transsexual sexuality • Homosexuality and transgender • Drag king • Drag queen • Transphobia • Sex reassignment therapy • Legal aspects • Film and television
History	Timeline • Homosexuality and the Holocaust • Gay Liberation • Stonewall riots • History of lesbianism • Adelphopoiesis
Culture	Demographics • Bisexual community • Gay community • Social movements • Queer nationalism • Gay pride • The Gay Games • LGBT symbols • Gay icons • Gay slang • Gay tourism • Gay village • Gay bar • Genderfuck • LGBT films • Pink Dollar / Pound • Lesbian utopia
Rights	Homosexuality laws of the world • Adoption • LGBT parenting • Same-sex marriage • Civil Union • Sodomy law • Violence against LGBT people • Gay bashing • Declaration of Montreal
Categories	LGBT civil rights • LGBT culture • LGBT history • LGBT people • Queer studies • Sexual orientation and identity • Sexual orientation and science • Sexual orientation and society • Transgender
Portal

Donate to Wikimedia