Excellent article Jo. Gay refugee rights would be leap forward to where we sit in a legal limbo.

Our migration assessment officers will need to be issued with a detailed set of guidelines that skilfully captures the harsh behaviour that would justify the granting of gay and gender identity refugee status.

Whilst I agree that Africa has the worst continental record of homophobia, there is at least one beacon of hope in the South. I know of some fortunate GLBTIQ Africans who have managed to travel to South Africa to marry under their enlightened marriage laws.

I hope that recognition of gay married couples from other countries will be given legal recognition in Australia under our migration laws. Hopefully this would happen at the same time that our Federal Parliament resolves to take the same giant leap in Australian human rights that many other countries have achieved in the face of vehement opposition from certain religious leaders.