Julian Punch, spokesperson for the Coming Out Proud Program (COPP), said the federal government will save $66 million in social security benefits after the removal of discriminatory legislation and should recognise same-sex civil unions in return.

Regional COPP community liaison committees will call on local federal Labor MPs and senators to meet lesbian and gay community representatives to explain their position on the non-recognition of same-sex relationships, Punch said.

“While same-sex couples have avoided much of the damaging impositions of church and state control on their relationships in the past, the continuing non-recognition of community respect for our partnerships has very serious spiritual, moral and psychological effects on our community,” Punch said.

Punch said gay and lesbian couples were “more than willing to contribute to the ‘social purse’ on equal terms”, but not in return for “second-rate ‘de facto’ relationships”.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson Rodney Croome told GayTAS that some same-sex partners prefer to be seen as de factos and should have that choice respected and recognised.

“People who demand equal respect for same-sex relationships are grossly hypocritical when they then turn around and say some types of legally-recognised same-sex relationships are better than others,” Croome said.

“Just because the government wants to give us de facto recognition instead of equal marriage or a national civil union scheme doesn't mean we should demand equal marriage or civil unions instead of de facto recognition – like straight couples, we deserve both forms of recognition.”

Croome said last week's overturning of the ban on same-sex marriages by the California Supreme Court would have an impact in Australia by increasing the number of same-sex couples marrying overseas and returning to a country where their legal unions would not be recognised.

“The anger of these couples and their families will slowly but inevitably increase pressure on our government to support reform.”

IMAGE: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom celebrates the California Supreme Court's overturning of the ban on same-sex marriage last week. 

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