John Banks 11.05PM: In a shock announcement ACT leader Don Brash has just advised he will tender his resignation as leader of the ACT party. It is widely believed that it will be accepted and this leaves John Banks as the likely new leader as he will be the party's only MP. Banks has reinforced his conservative political career by gay-bashing in Parliament and during his stints as a radio talkback host and mayor of Auckland. As far back as the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill 25 years ago Banks called the day of the successful Parliamentary vote a "day will be remembered as a sad and sickening day for New Zealand.” He argued against anti-discrimination legislation saying that New Zealanders would not accept seeing policemen in tutus, and amongst a litany of anti-gay abuse has said that sticking rusty barbed wire up gay men's arses (as suggested by a radio caller) would be a waste of barbed wire.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 26th November 2011 - 11:06pm