A step in the right direction for gay rights

From The Age:

GAY and lesbian couples in Victoria will get access to a relationship register that formally recognises their partnership, after the State Opposition and minor parties indicated they would not oppose legislation supporting it.

Premier Steve Bracks yesterday said the register would allow same-sex couples access to existing entitlements without having to prove repeatedly in court that they were in a committed partnership.

Of course the Liberals made it clear that they would never accept full equality:

Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said the Liberal Party would consider supporting the register, as long as it did not undermine traditional marriage. (My emphasis)

"I think it's interesting that Steve Bracks wouldn't say anything about this before the election and has now come to a conclusion," Mr Baillieu said.

That last remark is interesting. Is he suggesting that if Bracks had endorsed a relationship register before the election voters would have thought twice about voting for Labor? With public attitudes constantly drifting towards the progressive side of politics when it comes to homosexuals we can only hope for the sake of people like Ted Baillieu that they can't play the argument ad populum card for ever.