David Bennett Hamilton East’s David Bennett was the only MP who switched to supporting marriage equality at the final vote. ''I listened carefully to everybody's speeches and all the readings and also the public and the constituents for their feedback to me, which has been very valuable,'' he’s told the Waikato Times. ''It's a really hard one. I understand and appreciate both sides of the argument, but in the end of the day we have the legislative definition of marriage, there's a group of people that wanted to be part of that definition and it seemed appropriate, from a legislative point of view, that we make that change. ''That's really what swayed me in the end.'' Legalise Love Waikato says it’s very proud, and urges others who are to let the MP know. The only other person to change their vote at the third and final reading was Te Tai Tonga Labour MP Rino Tirikatene, who voted against it.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 19th April 2013 - 10:38am