The ACT has revived its bid to allow gay marriages now that the federal Liberal Party which twice blocked the plan is out of the way.
ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said yesterday he was optimistic the new Rudd government would not prevent the laws finally going through.
With the change of government, gay unions in the ACT could become law early next year a cause for celebration for Nadine Howard when she heard the news last night.
The 18-year-old manager of gay nightclub Cube said Canberra had a thriving gay scene and many people would want to formalise their relationship if legally allowed to.
"It's just not fair, if everyone else can do it, we should be able to," Ms Howard said.
"Since you're a kid you want to get married."
Ms Howard, who has a partner Robyn Britt, said she would like to get married one day and have a special moment with the love of her life.
The proposed ACT laws would be among the most progressive in the country, allowing for an official ceremony in which same-sex couples give legal undertakings to each other before a third party. The Civil Partnerships Bill is already tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The outgoing federal Liberal Government twice used its territory powers to quash attempts by the ACT to allow gay unions, saying such laws would undermine the institution of marriage.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock overruled the ACT over gay unions in June 2006, and threatened to do it again in February this year, forcing the ACT to sit on its legislation until now.
The Liberals' disallowance of the ACT gay union laws sparked a debate about territories' rights, and prompted ACT Liberal senator Gary Humphries to cross the floor.
While the Rudd government did not comment yesterday on the ACT bid for gay unions, Mr Corbell said federal Labor had consistently stuck to its position that the registration of same-sex relationships was up to the states and territories.
He noted federal Labor had voted against the Liberals' decision to override the ACT gay marriage laws.
Mr Corbell said he was confident federal Labor would continue to hold its position on same-sex unions.
He would seek talks with incoming federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland as soon as possible to discuss the ACT's intentions.
He said he was relieved the battle with the federal Liberals was over.
He did not consider the ACT's same-sex unions amounted to marriage, defining marriage as a cultural institution used for heterosexual relationships.
However, the ACT model did allow for a same-sex relationship to be legally created.
Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Rod Swift, representing gay and transgender people, said the proposed ACT laws represented a fair go for gay people.
Allowing same-sex unions would give people greater rights to their partner's inheritance, superannuation, and compensation, if the partner was injured at work or in a traffic accident. People could feel like pariahs if they were not allowed to register their relationship.
A spokesman for Mr McClelland said the minister would not be able to comment until he was sworn in.