Tue 2 Oct 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Debate team leaders Louisa Wall and Colin Craig Some opponents campaigning against the Marriage Equality bill currently before Parliament are motivated by "fear and hatred," according to lesbian MP Louisa Wall as she and two other gay people this evening argued for the bill against a team of religious conservatives. Wall was speaking in favour of the moot that "This house supports the legalisation of same-sex marriage" during a debate as part of Auckland University's Politics Week. Addressing claims that her bill will eventually lead to siblings or groups of three or more people being allowed to marry, and that religious groups will be forced to marry same-sex couples against their wills, Wall said the proponents of such claims are being "disingenuous and are perpetuating propaganda which is based on fear and hatred." Wall and her fellow team members argued from a human rights standpoint, claiming that Civil Unions are inferior to marriage and that religious notions of marriage have no place in making the laws in a modern "grown up" country where "church and state are separate". Opponents of the proposal, led by vocal anti-bill politician Colin Craig, claimed that denying glbti people the right to marry is an act of "differentiation" rather than "discrimination." They raised the spectre of marriages of next of kin and "single mothers" marrying. The generally respectful audience was at times vocal and regularly applauded both sides of the debate, though Craig's attempt to liven up proceedings with demonstrations using rugby and soccer balls, and throwing chocolate bars into the audience drew mixed reactions. You can discuss this New Zealand gay community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 2nd October 2012 - 11:39pm