 The "Civil Union Act 2012" granted many of the same rights to same-sex couples as people married under the "Marriage Act 1961".The Act was not challenged by the Gillard Government.It was to be repealed and civil unions were to be no longer accessible to same-sex couples upon commencement of the "Marriage Equality (Same Sex) Act 2013", which (if not struck down by the High Court) would have permanently legalised same-sex marriage in the territory.