Just days after the Australian Federal election, the first public statement by new Federal Opposition leader, Dr Brendan Nelson came as a complete surprise for me and many other Australians. The Federal Liberal (Conservative) party in the past has not been very gay-friendly, over-riding the Australian Capital Territory's legal gay-marriage bill.

Newly elected Liberal leader Brendan Nelson says he supports equal economic and social rights for gay couples - but not marriage, adoption or IVF.

Dr Nelson said on Sunday gay couples should be treated the same as heterosexuals under Australia's tax and social security laws.

"I realise that there are some people listening to this, watching this, some of them quite conservative perhaps, who feel a little unease about this," he told ABC television.

"Our challenge is to say to ourselves, how would I feel if that were me? How would I feel if I had a son or a daughter or a brother or a sister in these arrangements.

"Every Australian, as far as taxation, social security and those things, should be treated equally."

Dr Nelson ruled out support for gay marriage.

But he pledged to consult his colleagues about the ACT government's latest attempt to introduce laws allowing civil unions between gay couples in the national capital.

"Marriage, in my view, is between a man and a woman," he said.

"It is the foundation of our society. I do not support gay marriage, I do not support gay adoption, I do not support gay IVF.

"But I believe very strongly that the economic and social injustices faced by homosexual people across this country need to be addressed, from taxation to social policy issues."

Source

Peter

What is IVF?

Scott: IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization. A gay woman may have one of her eggs mixed with donor sperm and the resulting embryo surgically implanted so she may conceive a child without having to have sex with a male. It is a very hot topic as IVF is a very expensive procedure.

Peter

What is IVF?

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a technique in which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the woman's womb, in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. The process involves hormonally controlling the ovulatory process, removing ova (eggs) from the woman's ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a fluid medium. The fertilised egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient's uterus with the intent to establish a successful pregnancy.

Thanks. Now I feel really stupid. I teach science and I know what it is when I come across it in a science book, but just couldn't get my head around it in the post!

I guess I am getting older and the mind is fading!