Australia's first civil union law has been passed by the government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), in spite of the staunch opposition of Prime Minister John Howard, and the threats of his Attorney General Philip Ruddock to quash the law using federal powers. Supporters are hailing the move as a significant win for gay and lesbian rights, and are saying it will pressure other states and the Federal government to follow suit. The Civil Union Act 2006, championed by ACT's Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, was passed late last night before a packed gallery of supporters. The ACT's only gay representative, Andrew Barr, broke down in tears during his speech in support of the new law. "Gay and lesbian Canberrans are part of our community; we are not nameless, faceless people who live on the margins of society," he said. "[We] deserve the respect and dignity afforded to others - we deserve equality." Australian Marriage Equality (AME) was among the first to applaud the move. "The ACT Labor Government, led by Jon Stanhope, deserves to be congratulated. This is a very significant step forward in our push towards full legal equality under Australian law", said national convenor, Peter Furness. "This is not only a win for same-sex couples in the ACT. Couples from around the country can also now receive formal recognition and can celebrate their love and commitment in a civil union ceremony sanctioned and approved by the state.” A number of amendments aimed at countering the opposition of some Canberra churches and of the Federal government, were introduced at the last minute. These include requiring 16 and 17-year olds to attain court approval before entering into a civil union; specifically stating that a civil union is not the same as marriage but will be treated as such for the purposes of other ACT law; and recognising only civil unions and not same-sex marriages for couples that migrate from overseas to the ACT. In spite of these amendments, it is still unclear whether Attorney General Ruddock will continue with plans to strike down the Territory's new law. The ACT - a small region surrounding Canberra, Australia's capital - is a territory and not a state, therefore the Federal government has more powers of oversight, and may still attempt to use these against Stanhope's government. AME is urging the federal government not to interfere with the new law, and hopes other states will follow ACT's lead. "Australians are increasingly aware of and uncomfortable with laws which discriminate against and exclude gays and lesbians. Most Australians would view an overturning of the ACT legislation as unjust", said Furness. Ref: canberra.yourguide.com.au, australianmarriageequality.com (d)