‘Gay’ Law Form Criticised (Press, 21 August 1985)

On 21 August 1985, the secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, Patricia Bartlett, publicly challenged Labour MP Margaret Shields regarding her efforts to gauge public opinion on legal reforms concerning homosexuality. Bartlett accused Shields of not providing complete information to her constituents in Kapiti when she sought their views on proposed changes to the law that would decriminalise sexual acts between consenting males in private. Shields had distributed ballot papers to her constituents, asking whether they supported the legalisation of homosexual acts and whether they believed the age of consent for such activities should be set at 16 years, or adjusted to a younger or older age. She stated that if more than 50 per cent of voters opposed the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, she would vote against it; otherwise, she would support the legislation. In response, Bartlett claimed that Shields was misleading her constituents as the ballot papers only presented part of the story. She highlighted that there was no mention of a proposed new crime concerning discrimination based on sexual orientation, which she asserted was a significant aspect of the legislation under consideration. Bartlett's remarks reflected broader societal debates surrounding the acceptance of homosexuality and how legal frameworks could shape public attitudes. This discussion emphasised the tensions between evolving social norms and traditional values at that time in New Zealand.

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