A complaint to the Human Rights Commission has put pressure on a Christchurch function centre who didn’t allow same-sex couples to marry at their venue. Living Springs, which has an evangelical background, had a policy that prevented same-sex couples from hiring out the venue, a policy which has now changed. The director of the venue, Denis Aldridge, told stuff.co.nz "The background that we've come from, there was probably a lot we didn't do. Same sex marriage was one of them, there was no alcohol for weddings. "Some people from religious backgrounds have had a real problem in this area… they couldn't see how they could line it up with what they believed and their scriptures.” He went on to say the trust, which the venue is in, is concerned with how they add to the greater good of the community they live in but as an organisation they are “not there yet” when it came to including LGBTI members of the community. The Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation when providing goods or services, including facilities.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 13th April 2016 - 9:29am