Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 - Disallowance: Civil Unions Act 2006 (ACT)

What this is: This is a federal veto (called a "disallowance") of a law passed by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Legislative Assembly.

What it does: It cancels the ACT's Civil Unions Act 2006, which would have allowed same-sex couples to register civil unions (a legal relationship status similar to marriage).

Why it happened: Under the Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988, the federal government has the power to override (disallow) any ACT law within six months of it being passed. The Governor-General exercised this power on the advice of the Federal Executive Council.

The impact: The ACT civil unions law never took effect. This meant same-sex couples in the ACT could not access the legal recognition scheme that the Territory government had created.

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Disallowance

Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988

I, PHILIP MICHAEL JEFFERY, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under subsection 35 (2) of the Australian Capital Territory (Self‑Government) Act 1988, disallow the Civil Unions Act 2006 (ACT).

Signed and sealed with the Great Seal of Australia on 13 June 2006

P.M. JEFFERY Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command

PHILIP RUDDOCK

Attorney‑General

for the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads