Small Majority For Wilde Bill (Press, 1 May 1985)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: Small Majority For Wilde Bill (Press, 1 May 1985)
A recent poll conducted by “Eye Witness News” has revealed that a slight majority of New Zealanders support the decriminalisation of homosexual acts between consenting males in private. The poll, which surveyed 1000 individuals, found that 51 per cent are in favour of reform, while 42 per cent oppose it, leaving 7 per cent undecided. This indicates a significant shift in public opinion regarding the controversial Homosexual Law Reform Bill proposed by Labour MP Fran Wilde, aimed at changing existing laws governing homosexual acts. The poll asked participants whether the law should permit homosexual acts between consenting adults in private. The findings suggest a favourable stance towards the main provisions of Wilde's bill, which seeks to remove criminal penalties for such acts. However, views on the proposed age of consent for same-sex sexual activity are more divided. While Wilde has suggested an age of consent set at 16 years, only 21 per cent of respondents supported this proposal. In contrast, 13 per cent preferred the age to be 18 years, 11 per cent suggested 20 years, and 12 per cent believed it should be set at 21 years or older. The poll results also highlight variations in support based on political affiliation. Among Labour voters, a notable 63 per cent are in favour of reform, while 66 per cent of New Zealand Party voters also support the proposed changes. In contrast, support drops to 51 per cent among National Party voters and is lowest at 39 per cent among Social Credit voters. This discrepancy indicates differing attitudes towards the reform within the various political landscapes in New Zealand. Overall, the poll reflects a changing perspective on homosexuality and the legal framework surrounding it in New Zealand, with the majority expressing a willingness to move towards more progressive laws regarding consensual same-sex relationships.
Important Information
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