Friday 4 May 2012 - 09:28
Law that recognises same-sex couples still not presented by April deadline.
Gay rights groups see a cohabitation bill as the first step towards more equality for same-sex family units.
Updated at 10:48am with minister's comment.
The Labour party has called on the government to hasten a bill for the recognition of same-sex couples and families, which was expected to be presented by end-April.
Labour's lesbian-gay-bi-transgender branch LGBT Labour said this was not the first time the law had been postponed. "The Prime Minister said the law would be introduced by the end of 2010, and then again by the end of 2011. This pledge was first made by the Nationalist Party back in 1998."
The pledge for a law that recognises cohabiting units, such as unmarried partners or siblings living with each other, gained more popularity during the campaign on the divorce referendum in 2011. Since then, justice minister Chris Said said the law would include same-sex couples.
"LGBT Labour feels the recognition of the equality of same-sex couples and families must be given the same importance as in other laws for families. The introduction of civil unions is the first step towards this equality."
In a reaction, justice minister Chris Said said the cohabitation bill has already been presented to the Cabinet, but discussions had not yet started.
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