Homosexual Law Remit Favoured (Press, 21 February 1977)

At the first Canterbury regional conference of the Labour Party in Christchurch over the weekend, discussions surrounding homosexuality emerged as a significant and contentious topic. Delegates faced pressure from a group of young demonstrators who presented pamphlets symbolising a call for change in the Labour leadership's stance towards homosexuality. Following intense discussions and a card vote, the conference passed a remit from the Burnside branch to support legalising homosexual acts between consenting adults over the age of 20 by a margin of 66 to 36. An attempt to amend the remit to lower the age to 16, including the word "consenting," was defeated by 61 votes to 39 after over an hour of debate that featured 16 speakers. The debate revealed a spectrum of opinions within the party, highlighting deep personal and religious convictions among delegates. Some argued strongly against the idea, citing morality and health concerns. Others, including Sir Terence McCombs, emphasised the need for the Labour Party to win voter support, suggesting that passing such a remit would not enhance the party’s chances of becoming the governing body. Debate participants like Mr N. Anderson argued for equality, while others like Mr D. Rowlands insisted on staying true to moral convictions regardless of political expedience. The need for change was emphasised by Dr D. Gunby, who urged the party to take bold leadership on the issue. In addition to the homosexual law reform debate, the conference also deliberated on other key issues. Delegates voted in favour of upgrading all rail passenger services and reinstating high-standard services in areas where they had been withdrawn. They discussed the urgent need for the Labour Government to consider granting corporation status to the Railways and advocated for the complete electrification of the railway system. The conference also sought the reintroduction of a maximum retail price scheme and demanded greater transparency regarding price increase applications. Delegates supported repealing laws that restrict workers' rights to withdraw labour and called for a re-evaluation of the arbitration system, stating that company books should be open for scrutiny by workers and the public. On energy policy, there was a call for a comprehensive approach, with a particular focus on domestic solar heating, while expressing opposition to current methods of nuclear power generation. The results of this conference and the remits passed will be reviewed at the national conference scheduled for May 1977. The outcome regarding immigration suggested changes to the economic criteria for Pacific Islanders entering New Zealand, with a focus on assisting agriculture and industry in the islands and providing support for family planning when requested by island governments. Overall, the discussions indicated a complex interplay of social issues and party policy that reflected the evolving landscape of New Zealand's political environment in the 1970s.

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