The first openly gay ambassador to New Zealand, the USA's David Huebner, has arrived in Wellington where he told his first press conference that he and his partner will not be getting legally united any time soon. Apart from promulgating the Obama administration's policies Ambassador David Huebner on the US-New Zealand relationship Huebner advised that he is a wine buff who looks forward to sampling NZ wines and that his partner, Los Angeles-based psychologist Dr Duane McWaine, will join him here early in the New Year. Asked if the couple plans to take advantage of New Zealand's Civil Union laws to get legally hitched, Huebner said they would wait until same-sex couples can legally get married or legally united in all fifty states of the USA before taking that step. Currently only a handful of American states legally recognise same-sex relationships. Huebner is also he US ambassador to Samoa where observers believe the presence of his male partner could cause difficulties for conservative politicians, churches and local dignitaries. Radio New Zealand's story about Ambassador David Huebner can be downloaded here.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 9th December 2009 - 8:52pm