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Government considers watered down same-sex marriage bill to minimise Tory rebellion
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Tory MP Nadine Dorries: 'The gay marriage bill is taking the sex out of marriage'
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London: Gay couple threatened with death in violent late night homophobic assault
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Government to consider abolishing civil partnerships or opening up to straight couples
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Philip Hammond: 'No great demand for gay marriage and it's upsetting vast numbers of people'
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Bret Easton Ellis slams GLAAD and says gay basketball player Jason Collins treated like a 'baby panda'
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US Radio host: Gay news websites are covered with porn that is turning teens gay
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Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather tells Catholic newspaper 'I never went into politics to tackle equal marriage'
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Tory MP David Burrowes: 'I'm not anti-gay; I'm just pro-marriage'
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Christians called to pray at Parliament in opposition to equal marriage bill
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Robert in S. Kensington 851
Eddy 370
Jock S. Trap 287
bobbleobble 259
D.McCabe 243
Rehan 213
Ray123 186
rapture 182
Midnighter 177
SteveC 172
This will never happen in NZ as long as the Tories are in power. Prime Minister John Key is a bigotted homophobe who has voted against every piece of pro-gay legislation since he has been in parliament.
Don’t worry, we’re working on it. Actually, he voted against pre-emptively banning same-sex marriage in 2005, against civil unions and guardianship law reform in 2004-2005 but for relationship legislative equality in 2005. He’s all over the place. David Cameron needs to have a word with him.
But yes, he’s not as good as NZ Labour Opposition leader Phil Goff and the NZ Greens, who have outstanding voting records on LGBT issues.
NZ needs to pick up speed on LGBT rights for coupes, including a good campaign for gay marriage otherwise there is a danger it’s going to be left in the stone ages…
True, but we already have civil partnerships and LGBT relationship equality. To be honest though, transgender inclusion in antidiscrimination laws needs to take precedence over same-sex marriage.
civil unions are just a half arsed way for a gov to get outta having to mess around with the marriage subject >.>
Not neccessarily- they can also be seen as a way to defuse the initial tensions over LGBT spousal equality and a useful interim step on the way to same-sex marriage proper. Ask yourself- why is the issue so much less controversial in New Zealand and the United Kingdom than in the United States?
In my visits to New Zealand I have been hugely impressed at the total acceptance of gay people throughout the country – whether urban or rural. I was also impressed at NZ acting on a level of civil recognition of gay partnerships prior to the UK (although unfortunately not quite marriage).
I do think that NZ needs to motor on – otherwise its reputation for acceptance and diversity is in danger and many other nations will beat NZ into being a fully fair country
Excuse me? I am a 20 year old student and I have only seen one gay couple hold hands in public, and I live in out capital, Wellington. New Zealand is a very hetrocentric and subtly homophobic country. We may not have many religious crazies, but there isnt acceptance of gay people.
Honestly, you don’t know what you are talking about.
And as others have said, Labour doesn’t have a hope in hell of winning the election!!! And even if it did (at the moment National is slaughtering it in the polls), who’s to say they would actually follow through? Politicians make a living from lying….
Well I snogged a guy in Auckland and Christchurch on the street, walked hand in hands in Nelson and had great welcomes from hotels, B&Bs and restaurants when I went as a couple all over NZ including Napier, Fjordland and the Otago penninsula …
Having been to NZ 6 or 7 times – I think I do know what I am talking about …
Maybe I am just extremely lucky, more observant or happen to exude warmth and gayness that attracts others in a positive way … nonetheless whatever the reason – I stand by my comments that my experience of NZ is a very accepting, supportive and open minded population
Thank god they are working in a positive way.
This article is liable to confuse. It gives the impression Labour are in government, when it is in fact the National Party.
Correction on the adoption laws in New Zealand – even an de facto opposite sex couples can not adopt a child.
The adoption law does need to be changed to allow de facto opposite sex couples, de facto same sex couples and civil union (both opposite sex and same sex couples) the oppurtunity to adopt a child.
In Australia NSW, ACT, TAS and WA allow same sex couples the opptunity to adopt a child.
Actually, a lesbian or gay individual can adopt a child down here, post-operative transwomen (and transmen) are viewed as their reassigned gender and have been able to get married since 1994. Also, due to a Court of Appeal decision, straight de facto couples can adopt children.
Alan elections are coming up in New Zealand soon – and quite possibly the Labor party might just win. Current polls say so so far.
Single people and married people can only adopt in New Zealand under 1955 laws. See the link
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1955/0093/latest/DLM292661.html
It is overdue and been a long long time the adoption laws was reviewed as well.
Civil unions have been avaliable to opposite sex couples and same sex couples in New Zealand since 2005 (just like the UK but only same sex couples can only have a civil partnership there). See link
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2004/0102/latest/whole.html
What poll are you looking at Paul?
I know right……Labour doesnt have a chance…..
The Labor Party have no chance of winning the election! All the polls I have seen in the NZ Media have the Nationals leading comfortably! People are dreaming if they think Labor will be relected!
Er, that was before the Rena cargo ship disaster down here. National has been behaving like a pack of decapitated chickens and their voter share has slid down. Also, the Green Party here is solidly onside and will benefit from the current focus on environmental issues…
Actually I’m fairly certain no polls which actually hold validity have been released since the so called Rena disaster. At present it’s just the media making grand assumptions about what they think will happen. That’s just like me going down to the TAB to place a bet on which colour hat Her Majesty will were at Ascot. Obviously I have no idea just as our “highly intelligent” news readers.
It’s a small step but they really need to get with the program.
Good progress.