David Norris (Independent)

I have several questions. I compliment Senator Ryan on picking up on the point I made yesterday about passports. A statement was issued by the State Department in Washington that these personnel would be travelling on diplomatic passports. That is where this matter arose.

The Leader should consider withdrawing No. 1 from the Order Paper. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 1 be deleted. The provisions of the Bill are being introduced to circumvent a series of court cases. One widely quoted case involving Susan McHugh went to the Supreme Court and it was decided that those precise measures were unconstitutional. Those people won rights and the Parliament is being used to circumvent them. The situation was the same with regard to gay spouses. The Government's own Equality Authority found there was a breach and the Government's law officers told them if they continued what they were doing, they would be guilty of discrimination under the law. What did they do? Instead of addressing the discrimination, they tried to change the law. It is a disgrace to the House and many decent Government Members recognise this point. Now they are trying to tinker with the situation of the widows but it would be unconscionable to deal with only one vulnerable group. The only decent thing to do is to withdraw the Bill.