2PM: Green MP Metiria Turei says a Catholic pressure group is "delusional" for advocating a narrow interpretation of 'family', in seeking to retain the legislative status quo that denies same-sex couples a fair chance to adopt children. On Sunday, Turei called for the overturning of New Zealand's adoption laws, saying the current arrangements are prejudicial against homosexual parents. The Catholic group, Family Life International released a press statement the following day, accusing Turei of promoting an "outrageous" agenda that puts the "selfish wants of adults over the needs of children." This afternoon, Turei responded, saying: "It is the very opposite of selfish to open your home to orphaned children who need loving families. It is deeply selfish to prevent children from being part of loving families because of a narrow-minded discriminatory attitude that is hopelessly out of place in our society today." Family Life had noted that "children are a gift, not a right or commodity." Turei agrees with the group on that point but fails to see the logical connection between that and the denial of parenting opportunities for gay and lesbian couples. "The call from gay and lesbian couples to be able to adopt is a very human desire… It is Family Life that imply that children are a right earned only by those who fit the narrow criteria of acceptable family defined by them. It is Family Life that commodify children by controlling their 'distribution' and restricting their access to loving, kind and supportive families, because of prejudice." Neville Creighton of the Auckland Gay and Lesbian Welfare group agrees with Turei. "Ignorance and prejudice prevent people from seeing the truth, the truth being that children need a home environment of close and trustworthy love and it doesn't really matter who it comes from." Creighton also notes non-biological parenting exists in many different cultures around the world. Turei is dismissive of the ‘research' claimed by Family Life that homosexual parenting is detrimental to children. The New Zealand First and United Future parties submitted this "dubious research" during the debate on the Care of Children Bill. It was "superficial and roundly rejected," says Turei. Turei is currently preparing a private member's bill to change the law. She hopes her bill will be selected from the Parliamentary ballot for consideration and believes that if it does, she will garner enough support to have the bill proceed to the select committee stage. "However, all MPs will need strong lobbying to make sure they understand how important it is to change the law and how awfully painful this unjust exclusion is," she adds. CLARIFICATION: "GayNZ.com understands that Family Life International and Family First are two seperate groups. Previously this article had erroneously referred to Family First, which has now been modified. Green MP Metiria Turei admits that she referred to Family First, when intending to refer to Family Life International in her comments to GayNZ.com. However, it should be noted that both organisations are anti-gay conservative Christian pressure groups who are opposed to equal rights for gay, lesbian and transgender citizens."