New Zealand's high suicide rate is largely due to gays and lesbians being unable to talk openly about their sexual orientation, says former National PM Jenny Shipley. "Does the legislature having a right to turn away from this?" Mrs Shipley asked, speaking to an intimate gathering of students at Harvard University in the United States, where she discussed a variety of hot topics that New Zealand and the U.S. are currently facing. Mrs Shipley said that New Zealand is following a similar course as the U.S. in inching towards equal rights for gay citizens and noted that New Zealand's Parliament has been discussing adoption and couple status for gays and lesbians over the past few years, possibly working towards a decision similar to the recent Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling that said it was unconstitutional to deny same-sex couples the benefits of marriage. “Great changes happen because people take actions—individuals,” Mrs Shipley said.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 27th November 2003 - 12:00pm