File photo A poll commissioned by anti-gay group Family First itself matches the trend in other poll results in showing more New Zealanders support marriage equality than oppose it. The poll of 1000 people by blogger David Farrar's Curia Research has found 47 per cent think same-sex couples should be allowed to marry, against 43 per cent who think "civil unions are sufficient for same-sex couples". The last Family First/Curia poll on the issue in March 2011, asked: "The law currently defines marriage as only being allowable between a man and a woman. Do you support this?" At that time, 52 per cent said yes and only 42 per cent said no. The new Family First poll also finds 80 per cent of New Zealanders are against making all marriage celebrants marry gay couples, should their religious beliefs be against it. Also, 37 per cent agreed teachers in state schools should "be forced to teach their students that same-sex marriage is equal to traditional marriage" even if this is against their personal beliefs. 53 per cent believe teachers should not be forced to teach that all marriages are equal. A select committee will this Thursday report back to Parliament on Louisa Wall’s marriage equality bill. It’s tipped to recommend amending the bill to clarify that celebrants in churches would not have to marry gay couples. The second reading of the bill is due to be held on March 13.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 26th February 2013 - 12:24pm