Same-sex challenge to first home buyer's tax breaks

This media release was issued by the Australian Coalition for Equality on 5.2.08.

Gay rights advocates say they want to know if same-sex couples will qualify for the Rudd Government's proposed first home buyer tax break.

Australian Coalition for Equality spokesperson, Rod Swift, said that Federal Labor has a commitment to equality for same-sex couples in day-to-day legal and financial matters which would be undermined if its proposed tax-reduced home-purchase scheme excluded these couples.

"Same-sex partners face the same financial pressures as their heterosexual counterparts and share the same aspiration to own their own home", Mr Swift said.

"The Rudd Government will betray these couples, and its own policy commitment, if the first home saver scheme is discriminatory."

"At the moment, tax law fails to recognise same-sex partners and we a keen to know if the proposed home buyer tax breaks will be any different."

Yesterday Treasurer, Wayne Swan, and Housing Minister, Tanya Plibersek, announced a new scheme to help young people and low-income earners save for a deposit on their first home by offering a 15% tax break on contributions to special home-buyer saver accounts.

According to a report issued by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission last year almost 60 federal laws covering everything from social security through taxation to immigration continue to discriminate against same-sex couples.

Before the last federal election Labor promised to remove such discrimination in legal and financial matters.

For more information contact Rod Swift on 0417 890 111.