At least thirty-one same sex couples will be marrying this Monday, the first day on which they can do so in New Zealand. On Monday morning the provisions of the Marriage Equality bill come into force, extending the right to marry the person they love, previously limited to heterosexual couples, to couples of other sexualities. Due to logistical problems stemming from the spate of earthquakes affecting Wellington the Registrar of Birth, Deaths and Marriages, Jeff Montgomery, says figures of applications to marry on Monday are currently only available from a handful of main centres. They include Auckland (14), Manukau (1), Wellington (6), Christchurch (6) and Rotorua (4) have told Births, Deaths and Marriages they intend to get married on Monday. Although the date of the marriages is known the timing of each ceremony on Monday is not provided by applicants.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 17th August 2013 - 10:24am