Homosexual Reform Bill Will Go To Select Committee (Press, 25 July 1974)

A bill aimed at legalising homosexual acts in private for consenting males aged 21 and over was introduced to the New Zealand Parliament on 24 July 1974 by Mr V. S. Young, an Opposition member. Although there were strong objections from some members, the bill passed its first reading without any votes against it. A motion to send the bill to a special select committee for further examination was also accepted unanimously. During the introduction debate, which lasted two hours, seven Opposition members spoke, with four supporting the bill, while three opposed it. Out of 12 speakers from the Government, eight expressed support and four voiced opposition. Most members who spoke included qualifiers in their remarks. Notably, neither the Prime Minister, Mr Kirk, nor the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Watt, was present for the debate. The proposed legislation seeks to decriminalise homosexual acts between consenting adult males in private but increases penalties for the molestation of underage males from a maximum of 10 years to 14 years. It also seeks to extend the same legal principles to both homosexual and heterosexual acts of prostitution, thereby eliminating the current male-female distinctions in the law. While the bill would not apply in cases involving mental patients or where consent was involuntary, it includes provisions for the withdrawal of many current prosecutions against homosexuals. Mr Young argued that the law does not create or eliminate homosexuality, stating that societal values, not legal ones, shape moral standards. He maintained that the bill would not lead to an increase in homosexuality nor alter public perception significantly. Support for the bill included remarks from the Minister of Justice, Dr Finlay, who welcomed the reform as long overdue and expressed hope for a swift review by the committee. However, he preferred the language of a different draft bill prepared by the Homosexual Law Reform Society but supported the overall intent in alignment with the Wolfenden Report of 1957. Some members raised concerns regarding the activities of groups advocating for homosexual acceptance, desiring further amendments to control such organisations. The Minister of Tourism, Mrs Tirikatene-Sullivan, noted that the bill could alleviate suffering for a significant number of New Zealanders, stating the law was outdated. Opposition emerged from the Minister of Police, Mr Connelly, who regarded homosexuality as unnatural and suggested that changes to the law would not normalise it. He asserted that people engaged in such acts did not require legal reforms but rather medical intervention, warning against giving legitimacy to behaviours he deemed inappropriate for protecting children. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Muldoon, supported the bill and commended Mr Young for introducing such a contentious measure, believing it would help reduce incidences of blackmail and violence linked to homosexuality. Mr Young accepted the government's proposal to send the bill to a special select committee for further study.

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