Melbourne City Council - Relationships Register

CAMPAIGN STATUS: Closed

In November 2006, the Melbourne City Council decided to establish a Relationships Register for same sex - and heterosexual - couples similar to the scheme operating in Tasmania. It was sent to a Committee for discussion of the proposal. After being endorsed, then receiving public comment, the matter went back to the Council for a final vote.

The Council finally voted on 27 March 2007 to formally endorse the scheme.
Thank you to those who wrote to the Council and made submissions opposing the register.

For our page on the Register click here.

3 April 2007 - The FULL details of the Register
Click here for full details of the scheme on the MCC website.

2 April 2007 - Launch
The Council held a launch for the Relationships Register on 2 April 2007.
Click here for MCC Media Release about the launch.

30 March 2007 - MCC Register passed
The full meeting of the Melbourne City Council on 27 March 2007 voted by 6 votes to 3 to establish a relationships register for same-sex and heterosexual couples.
The Chair Lord Mayor John So, the Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer and Councillors Brindley, Jetter, Ng and Snedden voted for the motion and Councillors Clarke, Shanahan and Wilson voted against the motion.
Click here to read the Melbourne City Council minutes of the vote.
(It is item 5.12 on Page 9.)

13 March 2007 - Committee Meeting
After two weeks consultation the matter was re-presented to the Committee. The recommendation was to fully endorse the original proposal.
The vote at this meeting was 4-2. Since the matter did not have five votes a councillor could take up the option of sending the matter to the full Council. This was done.

15 Feb 2007 - Relationships Register - submissions required
The Melbourne City Council is continuing to pursue the establishment of a Relationships Register.... At last Tuesday's meeting of the Community Services Committee, a report and Proposed Guidelines were presented to the Committee.
The Committee voted 4 - 1 in favour of the scheme.
They are now asking for PUBLIC COMMENT!
Click here for MCC Media Release about the consultation phase.

This has Deputy Lord Mayor, Gary Singer, an open homosexual who is promoting the register, saying that the Register WILL be implemented by 2 April!!! So much for REALLY listening to the public!

For the Report and Proposed Guidelines - click here.
Prepared by Council Officers after the November 2006 Council meeting endorsed the proposal 'in principle'.

The Community Services Committee voted to allow 2 weeks for public consultation. . . The Committee is to consider the matter again at their March meeting, following an amendment - the Council Officers will prepare a report, taking into account the public comment.
Click here for the Minutes of the meeting. (Pages 3-4 have the information about the Register.)

Sending your comments: Closing date - Wednesday 28 February.
The description of the consultation process, and a form for you to send your comments - click here.

9 Dec 2006 - Melbourne City Council to introduce a - same-sex 'Relationships Declaration Register'
The Melbourne City Council has voted to establish a Relationships Register. The register would be 'non-homosexual specific' as it would not only allow same-sex couples to register their relationships but also allow heterosexual couples to register their relationship. Openly homosexual Deputy Lord Mayor Gary Singer is behind the proposal and the register is being supported by Lord Mayor John So - who was recently nominated as 'Community Supporter of the Year' in the homosexual community's Rainbow Awards (, 29/11/2006).
Mr Singer said the register was part of the homosexual lobby's overall strategy, saying "This is just the first step toward social equality for all relationships..." he said. The proposal has been supported by all the homosexual groups lobbying for recognition of homosexual relationships.

The proposal was endorsed in principle by a narrow majority of the Council at their meeting on 28 November and will now be considered by the February Community Services Committee.

ACTION: Please write politely to the Melbourne City Council and ask them NOT to establish a 'Relationships Declaration Register'.

References:
City to open register for same-sex couples
The Age, November 18, 2006.

Melbourne City Council Media Release
29 November 2006.
The full Council, in late November 2006, "gave in-principle support to the establishment of a Relationships Declaration Register that would enable Melbourne couples of both mixed-sex and same-sex to formally declare their relationship."