Hon. Simon Power MP Justice and Commerce minister Simon Power, who will leave Parliament and become a bank director, says he would now vote in favour of Civil Unions if given another chance. Speaking to a NZ Herald political reporter Power, who was amongst the vast majority of his National colleagues who in 2004 voted against legal recognition of same-sex relationships, says that at the time he reflected the wishes of his largely rural electorate. "[Rangitikei] had pretty firm views and I reflected the views that were being put to me." He says he now believes "they would have weathered he storm if I had voted for it." Only three of National's MPs voted for the final reading of the bill, 24 voted against. Amongst those against was then-National Party leader Don Brash who has recently emerged as leader of the flailing ACT party. At the time Brash said he felt the country was deeply divided on the issue and he could not support what he called the then-Labour government's rushed attempt to ram the bill through Parliament.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 11th October 2011 - 5:26pm