P.m. Favours ‘gay’ Law Reform (Press, 4 April 1985)

On 4 April 1985, Prime Minister David Lange expressed his support for homosexual law reform in New Zealand while stating that he anticipated amendments to the legislation currently before Parliament. This was his first formal comment on the issue, as he had been absent during its introduction. In a response to a letter, Lange indicated he would have voted for the legislation's introduction had he been present. He argued for the decriminalisation of consensual sexual relationships between adults, describing the current laws as "irrational," "unequal in application," and ultimately ineffective. Lange emphasised the absurdity of imprisoning consenting adult males for their sexual orientation, noting the influence of those who advocate for punishment based on claimed Christian beliefs. The letter in question had been sent to various members of Parliament, and 19 responses were received, showcasing a wide variety of opinions. Among the opponents of reform was Graeme Lee, a National Party member from Hauraki, who argued against homosexual relationships based on his interpretation of religious doctrine. He insisted that such expressions of love were contrary to God's intentions and doubted the existence of any scientific evidence that supported the notion of inherent homosexuality. In contrast, the Minister of Justice, Geoffrey Palmer, shared his personal view that the law should be revised to prevent criminalising sexual behaviour between consenting adult males. He did not dispute the necessity for reform, aligning with the position of several religious leaders. The public questions committee of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches also advocated for decriminalisation, labelling the current laws discriminatory and illogical. They pointed out that even if a majority of New Zealanders deemed such acts immoral, it was inappropriate for the criminal law to enforce specific moral standards. This emerging dialogue in New Zealand's Parliament reflected a significant shift in attitudes towards homosexuality and the push for meaningful legal reform.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand