‘Mischievous’ Alteration (Press, 3 April 1985)
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Summary: ‘Mischievous’ Alteration (Press, 3 April 1985)
On 3 April 1985, Mr Jim Gerard, the Member of Parliament for Rangiora, announced that a modified petition regarding homosexual law reform circulating in his electorate had become invalid due to a deceptive alteration. The original petition, which sought support for the reform across New Zealand, had been tampered with in a way that included an added statement falsely attributing support for the Homosexual Law Reform Bill to Gerard. The added text queried voters in North Canterbury—specifically in Hurunui County or the Rangiora Electorate—whether they agreed with the claim that Gerard had supported the bill to legalise homosexual behaviour. Mr Gerard denounced this addition as "mischievous" and "totally misleading." He clarified that he did not support the bill in its original form and had not voted to legalise homosexual behaviour. Rather, his only action had been to support the bill's progression to a select committee for further study and consideration of evidence. He urged individuals who had signed the modified petition to recognise that it was not the legitimate document and could not be counted as valid.
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