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Our Love is Your Love: Equal Love 

Equal Love is the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby's campaign for relationship recognition.

Equal love aims to inform the community of the emotional, social and financial cost which results from the lack of same-sex relationship recognition.  And to educate the community about the importance of formal legal recognition of same-sex couples, and advocate for change.

We seek reform of the following areas of law:

Federal law

• The right to access marriage in federal law by same sex couples.
• Recognition of same sex domestic partnerships in law on an equal level with heterosexual couples.
• A presumptive recognition of same-sex couples living in de facto partnerships.
• A civil union and relationship registration scheme as an alternative to same-sex marriage.
• Recognition of foreign marriages and civil unions between same-sex couples.

Victorian Law

• Extend domestic partnership laws to include parenting rights and the removal of all remaining instances of discrimination.
• A civil union and/or relationship registration scheme.

Local Councils

• A relationship registration scheme for same-sex couples recognized by local councils.

An example of this may be the City of Melbourne's Relationship Declaration Register. This register is open to all residents of Victoria - see below:

Relationship Declaration Register

The City of Melbourne has reinforced its commitment to being an inclusive and engaging city by supporting a Relationship Declaration Register.

The Relationship Declaration Register launched on Monday, 2 April 2007  means couples of both mixed-sex and same-sex can formally declare their relationships.

To apply to register your relationship, couples are required to read the guidelines, fill out an application form and visit the town hall to formally sign a certificate of declaration.

For more information visit www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/relationshipdeclarationregister

Help us achieve total same-sex couple recognition by:

• Writing to your State and Federal  politicians demanding their acceptance and full support, through community leadership and law reform.
• Join our working group offering discussion networks via monthly meetings and an online e-group.
• Participate in our events, including our annual National Day of Action against the discriminatory amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) which outlaw marriage between same-sex couples.