SSM Plebiscite

[kruddler]

I heard Magda Szubanski speak on the subject on The Project. She told a story of how a friend of hers was denied access to their dying partner in hospital because it was "next of kin only". This story resinated with me more than any argument I have heard on the SSM debate. Explain to me how this situation could be deemed acceptable.

Reminds me of a story.

My wifes parents divorced.
Father never remarried, but was in a relationship for 21 years with the same woman, and had a 20year old daughter together. Lived in the same house this whole time.  (FWIW, He did ask several times. She was just against the whole concept)

She died from cancer about 18months ago. Insurance companies (super?) did not want to pay out what he was entitled to because they were not married and he needed to prove that they were still in a relationship when she died. He was with her every day at the hospital and every day when she later went into palliative care. It took a good 10 months before anything was paid out. Lucky for him he wasn't in any financial difficulty at the time, as it could've made an extremely difficult time in his life a hell of a lot worse.

All of this because of a (lack of) piece of paper.