United Future leader Peter Dunne has complained to the Human Rights Commission about being branded a homophobe on the cover of Express. Following the first parliamentary vote on the Civil Union Bill in July, Express ran a cover with the faces of all the MPs who voted against the Bill (Dunne was among that number) with the headline The ugly faces of homophobia. "I consider this cover to be grossly discriminatory and a classic example of the hate speech that the gay community is usually so keen to eliminate," Dunne wrote in the complaint to chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan. Dunne said the story slurred the reputations of the MPs pictured, and inferred that those opposing the Civil Union Bill also opposed same-sex relationships. Dunne's party paid for nationwide ads earlier this year that visually ridiculed same-sex marriage and called for a halt to this type of "silliness". A spokeswoman for Noonan said the commission determined that his complaint fell outside the ambit of the Human Rights Act. It would arrange to meet Dunne to discuss how the matter might otherwise be resolved. Dunne is reportedly outraged his complaint has not been accepted. Dunne told Queer Nation in July that he was opposed to the Civil Union Bill because he believes the state should not be involved in solemnising the relationships of citizens. When asked if he would be therefore campaigning for the repeal of the Marriage Act, the visibly irritated MP answered that he wouldn't.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Sunday, 28th November 2004 - 12:00pm