?I applaud Labour MP Louisa Wall's bill to legalise same sex marriage.
It's about time that this measure came in. According to a recent Colmar Brunton/One Network News poll, 61 percent of New Zealanders stated that they backed gay marriage. New Zealand is following a shift in global opinion (at least in western democracies such as the United States and the United Kingdom) towards public acceptance of gay marriage.?
We have come along way since the days of the Homosexual Law Reform Act debates of 1985-86. In those times, heterosexual New Zealanders (including myself) couldn't openly voice our support for such reforms given the hysteria and bigotry that then surrounded gay issues. Now, 25 years later, I don't know of any straight family, friends or acquaintences who oppose gay marriage. It's a great sign of the times.
Very rarely do I applaud John Key. Today, however, I have to give him credit for considering backing the legislation all the way through Parliament. Gone are the days when the Labour, Green and Alliance parties were considered to be the so-called parties of political correctness over social conscience issues (such as civil unions). Now, I am pleased to see that many National MPs are preparing to join what can better be described as a human rights crusade on at least this issue.
This legislation will test the supposedly social liberal (and even conservative) core of other political parties, namely, ACT, Mana and New Zealand First.?
ACT, of course, is currently led by one of the most reactionary conservative politicians in New Zealand, John Banks. He is a Christian conservative and staunch gay marriage opponent leading a party largely comprised of social libertarians who believe that the State has no role interfering in the private lives of individuals. Mana is led by the Maori sovereigntist but yet socially conservative, Hone Harawira. Harawira has gone on record as being personally opposed to gay marriage but he will also have to face down socially progressive party members who are supportive of it.
Therefore, given that both Banks and Harawira are both singing from the same sheet on gay marriage while significant numbers of their respective party grassroots members aren't, this debate will test the unity of these small parties to the core. I expect that Mana will use its internal processes to decide the issue with Harawira (as Jim Anderton used to be within the Alliance and before that the NewLabour Party) expected to toe whatever becomes the agreed party line in the House. Therefore, if Mana activists vote in favour of gay marriage, then Harawira will have to go along with it despite his continuing personal opposition to the idea. Conversely, if Mana activists narrowly vote against, then such a result would suit Harawira while unsettling the social progressives within his party ranks.
Banks (on the other hand), will very strongly oppose gay marriage and given the propensity of conservative parties (like Act) to permit conscience votes on moral issues, will cast one. This likely outcome will unsettle what remains of the ACT Party's activist base (particularly within its campus branches) leading to further rumblings against Banks. And even New Zealand First's internal unity could be on the line as its caucas wrestles over which way to vote or as to even whether to grant its MPs a conscience vote at all. In fact, which way New Zealand First votes could be crucial to the outcome. I expect that with an eye to the next election, the majority of their MPs (if given a conscience vote or if they agree to vote collectively) could vote no on the basis that they fear competition from the fundamentalist Christian-sympathising Conservative Party. But even if one or two New Zealand First MPs vote positively (provided that their MPs are given a conscience vote) then it could be enough to secure the passage of the legislation.
The gay marriage legislation will no doubt excite the Christian (and other religious) fundamentalist base as well.
Family First have already launched an anti-gay marriage campaign and Destiny Church could see the issue as providing fertile ground for a new recruiting campaign for their cult. I expect that for the established and comparatively more progressive mainstream churches (such as the Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist and Baptist denominations) this issue could further test their internal unity with factions coming out both for and against the legislation. The Roman Catholic Church and the Salvation Army will unreservedly (and disappointingly) say no as they have on other issues regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered rights regardless of how many of their respective congregants support the measure. And other faith communities (including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and conservative Jews) will come out against gay marriage as well.
Clearly, this legislation is the most significant legal barrier that remains to be crossed by this country's GLBT community. ?If Parliament passes this measure, then we will send a loud message that bigotry can't be tolerated in Aotearoa/New Zealand. And more New Zealanders are prepared to say just that about GLBT rights!
The time has come!
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