M.P. Accuses Petitioners Of Standover Tactics (Press, 27 March 1985)

A national petition opposing homosexual law reform in New Zealand has faced allegations of improper tactics in its signature collection process, including claims of "standover" tactics and coercion of children. Fran Wilde, a Labour MP sponsoring the legislation for reform, expressed her concerns in Parliament, stating that the credibility of the petition was severely compromised by the methods employed by its organisers. She noted that reports have surfaced from various regions, including Auckland, Wellington, and Gisborne, indicating that the petition was being circulated within secondary schools, where peer pressure was reportedly compelling students to sign. Wilde highlighted the ethical issue surrounding these tactics, suggesting that children were being encouraged to sign a petition without a proper understanding of its implications since discussions on homosexual law reform are not permissible in schools. She lauded several school principals who had restrained the circulation of the petition but feared that many signatures from children may have already been collected. In addition, Wilde remarked on reports from workplaces in Auckland where those collecting signatures allegedly used intimidation and derogatory language to coerce individuals into participating. The tactics employed by the petition's supporters drew sharp criticism from Wilde, who argued that serious debates about homosexual law reform were essential and that the use of peer pressure undermined the integrity of the discourse. She called for those organising the petition to abide by principles of truth and justice and to restrict their signature collection to individuals aged 16 and over. In response to Wilde's accusations, one of the petition's organisers, Geoff Braybrooke, countered that their efforts were legitimate in a free country and that any individual wishing to sign had the right to do so. Braybrooke acknowledged that while he did not support any form of pressure to sign, he believed that a substantial number of legitimate signatures would be gathered without employing questionable tactics, which he hoped would sway Parliament against the proposed reform. The debate surrounding these developments highlighted the intense emotions and divisions present in the discourse around homosexual law reform in New Zealand during this period, as both sides sought to mobilise public opinion in their favour.

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