Top Hong Kong court to hear gay civil servant’s appeal seeking spousal benefits for husband
Senior immigration officer Angus Leung also granted leave to challenge government for not letting him and partner jointly declare tax as heterosexual married couples do
The Court of Appeal on Monday granted a gay Hong Kong immigration officer leave to appeal to the city’s top court against its decision that his husband could not enjoy the same spousal benefits offered to his heterosexual colleagues in the government.
Angus Leung Chun-kwong, 37, was also granted leave to challenge the Inland Revenue Department for not letting him and his partner, Scott Adams, jointly declare their tax as heterosexual married couples can.
The three appeal justices concluded in a written judgment that Leung had raised two questions of “great general and public importance” but dismissed three others, so he was ordered to pay the legal costs incurred by the secretary for justice and the commissioner of Inland Revenue: HK$30,000 (US$3,800).
Leung’s lawyers at Daly, Ho & Associates said he was reviewing the judgment with his legal team to see whether it was necessary make an application to the Court of Final Appeal to redefine the scope of his intended appeal.
