Amiria Te Nana (via Waikato Times video) A Hamilton indoor raceway has changed a policy which prevented same-sex couples from taking part in a two-for-one deal. Local woman Amiria Te Nana has told the Waikato Times she and her partner Lava Leituala were told by a manager at Daytona Indoor Raceway that they couldn’t access a deal which stated "bring a spouse or partner and they ride for free". Te Nana says the manager told them they had to prove they were in a "legitimate relationship". "He said it's for partners - we said 'we are partners'. Then he said it is for legitimate partners and spouses. He started saying a legitimate partner is a man and his wife, a male and female." Te Nana says in a country where gay marriage is legal that opinion is not valid and it has no place in a family run business. When she complained to the owner, he responded “we are very sorry but the promotion is for a spouse or partner, which in our thinking is husband and wife or girlfriend and boyfriend. We have a lot of people who try it on and say they are a same sex couples and they are not. "The rule is male and female only end of story. If I let one do it I have to let everyone do it and that was not what the promotion was about." However, according to its website the raceway has now replaced the policy with a “two for one deal” on Tuesday nights, where anyone who can bring a “friend” who can race for free. The owner has apologised via the Waikato Times, saying "At the end of the day we are in a modern society and we do need to change it.” Human Rights Commissioner Richard Tankersley says it’s unlawful to treat someone differently in the provision of goods and services because of their sexual orientation. “Anyone who believes that they have been discriminated against in this way may come to the Human Rights Commission for advice or make a complaint through the Commission’s website, www.hrc.co.nz.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 18th June 2015 - 9:15am