(Canberra) Legislation to grant a number of rights to same-sex couples passed Australia’s lower house on Wednesday.

The Same-Sex Entitlements Bill will remove discrimination against same-sex partners in areas such as immigration, taxation, veterans’ pensions and aged care. It also abolishes discrimination against children of same-sex couples by granting equal rights to both parents.

In total it amends 68 Commonwealth laws.

The bill now goes to the upper house where its future is uncertain.

During debate in the lower house the Labor government of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thwarted an opposition Liberal move to include language affirming marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

Australia already has a law denying marriage to same-sex couples.

The opposition argued the reforms undermine the institution of marriage.

“With respect to those members they are simply wrong,” Attorney General Robert McClelland told the House.

Both McClelland and Rudd maintained they will not introduce a bill to repeal Australia’s ban on same-sex marriage passed in 2004 by the former Liberal government of then-Prime Minister John Howard.

Prior to losing the last federal election Howard used the law to overturn a civil unions bill passed by the Australian Capital Territory.

Howard’s action resulted in the federal Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission launching a national investigation into inequities faced by same-sex couples. The commission held hearings across the country.

Commissioners heard from dozens of gay couples in hearings across the country of how partners have been cut out of wills because they have not legal status, how children in same-sex relationships are harmed, and how federal pension law hurts one partner when the other dies.

In its report to the government last year the Commission made more than 50 recommendations and urged the passing laws guaranteeing rights for same-sex couples.

Many of those recommendations are contained McClelland’s bill.

After Rudd’s government was elected the Australian Capital Territory reintroduced its civil unions bill.  After amending it to prevent public ceremonies to be held in government facilities it passed, making the ACT the first area in the country to allow civil partnerships.

A third of Australia’s eight states and territories have varying laws providing some benefits to same-sex couples.

Among Australia’s population of 21 million people, more than 40,000 are in same-sex relationships, a government report found last year.