On 13 June 2012, it was announced by the Queensland Government that amendments would be made to the Civil Partnerships Act  ”to bring Queensland into line with other states”.

Premier Campbell Newmann announced that the amendments would give same sex couples certainty in the future and that there would not be any legal ramifications to those relationships in Queensland that had already been registered under the legislation currently in place.

It is understood that the amendments will mean that same sex couples will still have the ability to have their relationship recognised by the state, but not through a state sanctioned declaration ceremony. The legislation currently in place was enacted only some 6 months ago by the Bligh Government.

The community discussion has been most heated over the ability to have a state sanctioned ceremony. The Australian newspaper has reported that of the 609 civil partnerships registered, only 21 of these have also had a civil union ceremony or state sanctioned declaration ceremony.