Former MP Fran Wilde can't understand why there is such a fuss over civil unions, despite being witness to Nazi-style demonstrations in 1985 when she sponsored the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. Wilde received bomb threats, death threats and hate mail during the 16-month debate. The violent rallies culminated in a protest on the steps of Parliament, where a petition allegedly signed by 800,000 people (later found to be full of repeat signatures and forgeries) condemning the bill was presented. Flag-waving, children in brigade uniforms and national anthem singing was the order of the day. "It was quite scary stuff that day because here was the face of bigotry right there in front of Parliament. The MPs were quite spooked by that sort of thing in New Zealand," she remembers.