DFAT reviews forms for inclusivity
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is considering changing its passport application forms to include the choice of 鈥榩arent one鈥� and 鈥榩arent two鈥�, instead of mother and father.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young welcomed the proposal and said she hopes DFAT will follow through with the change.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about time documents like passports reflected the diversity of families in Australia,鈥� Hanson-Young said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy that passport applications are made much more difficult than they need to be, simply because of outdated forms and other requirements.
鈥淚f implemented, this removes another form of discrimination and makes life that little bit easier for same-sex parents.鈥�
DFAT said the proposal has come about from feedback from same-sex coupled parents who鈥檝e had difficulty filling out passport forms for their children.
Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby spokeswoman Sarah Rogan also spoke in favour of the proposal.
鈥淚t is always encouraging when the federal Government looks at these changes, especially as it鈥檚 been generated within the department,鈥� Rogan told the Star Observer.
鈥淭his is not something lobby groups have been pushing for as a priority as far as I鈥檓 aware.
鈥淎lthough this is a fairly minor bureaucratic change, using gender-neutral terms does make a difference to the lives of rainbow families.鈥�
The changes are being considered as part of a plan to move to electronic enrolment forms for passports and follow news the British Home Office is expected to change its passport forms to include 鈥榩arent one鈥� and 鈥榩arent two鈥� alongside 鈥榤other鈥� and 鈥榝ather鈥� by the end of the year.
A similar change was made in the United States earlier this year.
A DFAT spokeswoman said no decision has yet been made on the change.
鈥淎ll aspects of passport application forms are for future consideration in the context of DFAT鈥檚 Passport Redevelopment Program, which will not be rolled out for a couple of years,鈥� she said.
鈥淒FAT will consult closely with the Government on that program and any significant proposed changes to the passport process.鈥�
Last month the the federal Government made it easier for sex and gender diverse Australians to get passports, with new guidelines stipulating sex-reassignment surgery is no longer a prerequisite to issue a passport in a person鈥檚 preferred gender.
I love Sarah Hanson-Young’s comments that “we are just making it simpler” (this has nothing, of course, to do with a gay agenda…of course not!). Since we are looking making all those nasty complex government forms much simpler, maybe the Greens, can now get the Government to simplify social security forms. I have to fill a range of complex ASIC forms, which I have to take to my (expensive) accountant. Change the who is mummy and who is daddy question then have a real go at making the questions that I have fill in on company structures easier!!! …… Please the real agenda of the Greens is promotion of a homosexual lifestyle at the expense of the culture that the other 99% of us belong to!