In ordering the authority to quash its official reprimand, Michael Hartmann said it was “plainly wrong” to believe the TV program Gay Lover promoted gay marriage.

“It is now recognized in our law that the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sex refers not only to gender but also to sexual orientation,” the judge said.

As Hartmann viewed it, the 2006 program in which judicial review applicant Cho Man-chit - along with his gay partner and a lesbian couple - had featured was a study of the human condition.

The authority, after receiving a number of complaints, concluded the show failed to be impartial as it did not present opinions of those against gay marriage.

The judge rejected that argument, saying impartiality could be interpreted in a different way.

“RTHK did no more than faithfully record the fears, hopes, travails and aspirations of a person who happened to be gay,” he said. “It did so faithfully, in an unprejudiced manner.”

Hartmann was surprised that all programs dealing with controversial issues are required by the authority’s code of practice to be impartial, pointing to issues such as the fight against bird flu and child slavery. He said the Broadcasting Authority’s misunderstanding of the code resulted in a restriction on freedom of speech, being founded on the discriminatory factor that homosexuality may be offensive to certain viewers.

But the judge did support the authority’s contention that the program should have been shown after 8.30pm. It was shown during family viewing hours at 7.35pm and 7.10pm on the Jade and Pearl channels.

The authority had argued in a letter that children and young viewers watching the program might have no knowledge of homosexuality and be adversely affected by its partial contents if parental guidance was not provided.

Sunil Babu Pant, 35, a crusader for gay equality who founded the first organisation to protect the rights of the sexual minorities, has been chosen by a minor communist party to represent it in Nepal’s 601-member constituent assembly.

“We are honoured to send Pant as our representative to the constituent assembly,” said Ganesh Shah who’s Communist Party of Nepal-United has won five seats in the assembly under the country’s proportional representation system.

“We hope it will improve the lives of a people who are the most repressed in Nepal, disowned both by society and their own families,” he added.

Pant founded the Blue Diamond Society in 2002, which is now one of the best known gay rights groups in South Asia. The Society fights for molested and detained gays, promotes HIV/AIDS awareness, runs a hospice for terminally ill gay patients, and provides training and jobs to members of the community.

More than half of the new cases already had late-stage HIV infections when they were diagnosed, as happened in previous years, the Health Ministry said. It urged people who are at high risk of contracting the virus to go for tests.

“There is thus an urgent need for persons who engage in high risk behavior such as unprotected casual sex, sex with prostitutes, and intravenous drug abuse to go for regular HIV testing,” the ministry’s Web site said in an update of the HIV/AIDS situation in the prosperous Southeast Asian country.

Ninety-three percent of the new infections were among men and 95 percent were transmitted through sex, it said.

Nearly two-thirds of the sexual transmissions occurred during heterosexual sex, the update said.

It said the number of intravenous transmissions fell last year to seven, half of the number recorded in 2006.

The new cases bring the total number of known HIV-infected Singaporeans to 3,482 as of the end of last year, the ministry said. More than 1,100 of them have died.

The ministry also noted that Parliament last week passed an amendment to the law to tighten regulations on HIV transmissions.

The existing law penalized anyone who knows he or she is infected with HIV but is found to have failed to tell a partner about it before sex. The amendment includes individuals “who have reason to believe” that they have been exposed to a significant risk of contracting HIV or AIDS.

The amendment says those individuals must take “reasonable precautions” — such as using condoms or being tested — to protect their sexual partners. Otherwise, they must inform their partner of the risk of contracting HIV from them and leave it to them to accept the risk if they wish. If the partner accepts, no legal offense is committed.

A person found guilty of not informing a partner or of failing to take such precautions faces a maximum penalty of a S$50,000 fine and 10 years’ imprisonment.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland will introduce amendments to Parliament as early as next month to alter around 100 federal laws.

The changes will not allow gay marriages or same-sex couples to adopt children, and the issue of access to the Family Court for same-sex couples is still being resolved.

Some of the changes would take effect immediately, but many financial laws - such as social security, tax and veterans’ affairs - would be phased in by mid-2009. But first the changes will have to be passed by the Senate, where the Coalition retains its majority until July 1.

Even after then, Labor will need the vote of conservative Christian and Family First senator Steve Fielding and independent senator Nick Xenophon if it cannot clinch Coalition support.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has signalled he backed the principle of removing discrimination against gay couples but has yet to secure formal support from his colleagues.

Mr McClelland will move swiftly to push through the changes, which could cost up to $400 million over four years and are expected to be written into the federal budget on May 13.

The changes will include around 100 laws identified by an audit commissioned after the Government came to power last November.

It built on a 2007 report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, which identified 58 financial and work-related laws where gay couples faced discrimination.

“The changes will provide for equality of treatment under a wide range of Commonwealth laws between same-sex and opposite-sex de facto couples,” Mr McClelland will say today.

“They will make a practical difference to the everyday lives of a group of our fellow Australians who have suffered discrimination under Commonwealth laws for far too long.”

The changes will apply in tax, superannuation, social security, health, aged care, veterans’ payments, workers’ compensation and employment entitlements.

Under existing laws, gay partners cannot inherit each others financial entitlements such as superannuation, veterans’ pensions or workers’ compensation. They can also be excluded from hospital visiting rights or exercising automatic medical power of attorney for one another.

Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Rodney Croome said he was overjoyed by the move. “Many same sex-partners can’t wait much longer,” he said. “For them this is an urgent reform, particularly in superannuation and aged care. For their sake alone it’s important that this reform happens quickly.”

Mr Croome urged the Coalition to get behind the changes.

He also called for automatic recognition under federal law of couples on same-sex relationship registers run by the states, giving them automatic spousal entitlements. Tasmania already has such a scheme and Victoria will have one by the end of the year.

Australian Christian Lobby chairman Jim Wallace said last night the changes would need to be scrutinised to ensure they did not undermine the institution of marriage. But he agreed there was a case to remove discrimination in many laws, especially where children were being disadvantaged by current laws.

“… but what we would not want to see are changes in areas that confuse the definition of family or undermine the definition of marriage,” he said.

There will be evening performances beginning at 7:30 PM on May 16th and 17th. A matinee beginning at 2:00 PM will take place on May 18th. Tickets cost 300 Baht for adults and 200 Baht for children under the age of 12. Tickets can be purchased by credit card online at www.pattayaplayers.org or can be bought in person at the North Star Library in Naklua, jameson’s Irish Pub and The Pattaya Mail Office located in North Pattaya. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door the evening of the performance, but only subject to availability. This fantastic evening of theater (directed by Christopher T. Parsons) will consist of he three one-act plays: Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs, The Last Leaf by Thomas Hischak, and Final Dress Rehearsal by Jack Frakes.

The Monkey’s Paw follows a family living in London at the time of the Second World War. A friend brings into their home the ‘Monkey’s Paw’, which they believe has powers to make them rich. We see their happy family life begin to break down with tragic results.

The Last Leaf is a bittersweet story involving Johnsy, a young artist who is suffering from a severe case of pneumonia and has lost her will to live. However, a friend provides the ultimate gift to Johnsy, and in doing so, saves her life. Based on the wise and poignant classic short story by O. Henry.

And lastly, Final Dress Rehearsal is a simple farce about an amateur troupe of actors putting on a production of “Cinderella.” Predictably, they are nowhere near ready to perform. The actress playing Cinderella arrives late, while the prince never arrives period. This inspires the “Prompter” to offer to play the prince’s part. The “Prompter” seems to want to play all of the parts in the play. The stepsisters fail to enter at their cues; the stage crew is composed of buffoons, the sound effects are played incorrectly, and when the author arrives, she quite understandably feels that her play is being ruined.

The Monkey’s Paw and Final Dress Rehearsal performances are being produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. and The Last Leaf is being produced in conjunction with Pioneer Drama Service. A brief intermission half way through the production will allow audience
members to gather and discuss the performances while enjoying their favorite beverage and snack. Tickets for a lucky draw raffle featuring many fantastic prizes and gift certificates will also be available for purchase before the show. Raffle tickets cost 100 baht per ticket or 500 baht for 6.

The Pattaya Players are still continuing their search for Corporate Sponsorships to help offset set-up and production costs. Please consider joining 2008 current sponsors: AA Insurance Brokers, Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, Chevrolet, Indian By Nature, Horseshoe Point, Casa Pascal, The Sleep Factory, St. Andrews International School, Steps & Rhythm, The Pattaya City Expats Club and Spice Magazine in helping the Pattaya Players to become the premier creative arts organization in Pattaya! Please visit their website at www.pattayaplayers.org for further information.