One of the MPs who was crucial to New Zealand securing marriage equality says two years on, businesses are not being forced to close and nobody is marrying their pets. Green Party Rainbow Issues co-spokesman Kevin Hague backed Labour’s Louisa Wall to the hilt during the successful marriage equality campaign, and played an important role in the cross-party push for support. Today is two years since the first same-sex weddings happened in New Zealand, and reflecting on the milestone Hague says: “Businesses are not being forced to close for refusing to provide flowers for same sex weddings. Churches are not being prosecuted. People are not marrying their pets. The fabric of society is not disintegrating (well no more than it already was for other reasons). “In general the dire predictions that have accompanied every step in the progressive recognition of our human rights have once again been proven unfounded. Queer people who have wanted to have got married and the world is that little bit happier.” Hague says while there is still a lot to be done (read the full feature on that here) it’s still a very special birthday. “Let’s take a moment to pause, celebrate one of the most effective and successful political campaigns ever run in Aotearoa, recognise our power, and then recommit ourselves to doing something awesome with it. Happy birthday marriage equality.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 19th August 2015 - 9:31am