Bishops Concerned About ‘gay’ Bill (Press, 15 April 1986)

On 15 April 1986, during the New Zealand Catholic bishops' conference held in Hamilton, the bishops voiced their opposition to the Homosexual Law Reform Bill. They expressed concern that supporters of the bill were promoting the notion that homosexual activity is "morally acceptable." According to the bishops, they believe that homosexual activity is inherently "morally wrong." Rather than focusing solely on legislative change, the bishops argued for the necessity of education aimed at eliminating "discriminatory attitudes and prejudice against homosexual activity." They contended that passing the bill might reinforce negative societal influences rather than serve the rights of individuals. The bishops suggested that promoting educational initiatives would be more effective in safeguarding human rights for everyone without endorsing what they termed the "fallacious and harmful idea" of the moral acceptability of homosexual behaviour. Additionally, they raised concerns regarding the proposed age of consent in the bill, which suggested a minimum age of 16 years for legalising consensual homosexual acts between males. The bishops deemed this age too low, asserting that individuals at 16 years may not be sufficiently mature for such decisions. Through their press release, they sought to emphasise the importance of education and maturity in discussions surrounding the legalisation of homosexual acts.

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