Friday, August 23, 2002
West Australian law evicts surviving domestic partner from his home of 32 years
A story published today by The West Australian reports that an Australian man has just weeks to vacate his home of 32 years because his domestic partner died without a will.
Danilo Rodrigues Romao, 55, has been battling for nearly four years to stay in his home because West Australian laws does not recognize same-sex couples.
The public trustee told Mr. Romao in a letter that it would consider legal action if he did not leave because it wanted to sell the property.
"The law is heartless," he said. "I have been in this house since the first time I arrived in Australia and I know everybody in the street. I don't want the money, I just want to stay in my home."
The State Government introduced the Family Court Amendment Bill 12 months ago to provide inheritance rights to de facto couples and same-sex couples, but it is not retrospective.
The Opposition has vowed to block the Bill, which is before the Upper House, claiming it creates a new marital status for same-sex couples. Opposition legal affairs spokesman Peter Foss said the Opposition would support the Bill only if it was rewritten.
Attorney-General Jim McGinty said he sympathized with Mr. Romao and had sought the trustee's assurance to postpone the eviction for a few weeks.
He urged the Opposition to pass the Bill so other people were not caught in a similar situation.
