Civil Union Bill passes its first test

The Civil Union Bill went through its first reading on a 66-50 conscience vote today after a passionate, polarising debate which split the ranks of most parties in Parliament.

A civil union will give legal recognition to a partnership and is open to same-sex and heterosexual couples.

The Marriage Act is not changed by it, and remains only for men and women.

The 16-vote majority was more than most MPs had expected, but the bill still has a long way to go and enough MPs could change their minds to eventually defeat it.

It is the most controversial legislation since the Prostitution Act, and raised strong emotions during the two-hour debate.

Despite the Government's insistence that it is a moderate measure enhancing human rights, entirely open to choice and with no victims, some MPs see it as the dawn of a dark day with horrifying implications.

The vote divided Labour, National, New Zealand First and ACT. All the Greens supported the bill, and all United Future's MPs opposed it.

Only five National MPs voted for the bill, while most Labour MPs backed it. Three Labour MPs did not turn up to vote - Ashraf Choudhary, Winnie Laban and Janet Mackey.

Most of the MPs who opposed the bill described it as a covert way to allow gay marriage and said it would demean and diminish the union between men and women.

Others argued it was unnecessary, affected only a very small proportion of the population and accused the Government of social engineering.

"This is a disgrace, it will tear the social and moral fabric asunder," said National's Brian Connell.

"It is calculated to undermine marriage...it is politically correct nonsense preaching that gay relationships are as good as marriage."

New Zealand First MP Bill Gudgeon described the bill as "an abomination to all mankind".

"The word despicable is too mild...this is the beginning of a deep decay in this nation," he said.

"In the eyes of the majority of New Zealanders, this is just plain wrong."

National's Judith Collins said the bill created a parallel to marriage and the Government should be honest about that.

"This is marriage by another name, and who is it for?" she asked.

"It's not for heterosexual couples. This is about gay marriage, and it's about time we recognised that."

She predicted that civil union would become "the thing" for young people.

"Eventually only the old fogies like us will be married," she said.

The bill's strongest supporters were Parliament's two gay MPs, Chris Carter and Tim Barnett.

"My partner Peter and I have been together for 31 years," Mr Carter said.

"We have never been able to swear a commitment to each other. Our relationship, in every respect, has been the same as a marriage - except one of us is not a woman."

Mr Barnett told Parliament: "I am what I am. I did not choose my sexuality.

"I speak from the perspective of this nation's thousands of lesbian and gay people - people living or wanting to live in same-sex relationships and seeking a name for and an acceptance of that relationship."

Transexual MP Georgina Beyer joined them.

"If I chose to get married, I could - but there are people who believe I should not be allowed to," she said.

"Why do we perpetually discriminate against a small number of people. This will make thousands of people happy."

Other MPs who supported the bill spoke about their own marriages and rejected the argument that it would be affected by the decisions of others.

Prime Minister Helen Clark and National's leader Don Brash supported the bill. So did ACT leader Rodney Hide, Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton and the Greens co-leaders Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and United Future leader Peter Dunne voted against it.

THE WAY MPS VOTED

Three Labour MPs did not vote today - Ashraf Choudhary, Winnie Laban and Janet Mackey.


The final vote was 66 to 50. The Te Tai Hauauru seat is vacant.


AYES: 66


Jim Anderton (Prog C, Wigram).

Rick Barker (Lab, Tukituki).

Tim Barnett (Lab, Christchurch Central).

David Benson-Pope (Lab, Dunedin South).

Georgina Beyer (Lab, Wairarapa).

Sue Bradford (Greens, list).

Don Brash (Nat, list).

Mark Burton (Lab, Taupo).

Chris Carter (Lab, list).

Steve Chadwick (Lab, Rotorua).

Helen Clark (Lab, Mt Albert).

Michael Cullen (Lab, list).

David Cunliffe (Lab, New Lynn).

Lianne Dalziel (Lab, Christchurch East).

Rod Donald (Greens, list).

Brian Donnelly (NZ First, list).

Helen Duncan (Labour, list).

Ruth Dyson (Lab, Banks Peninsula).

Gerrard Eckhoff (ACT, list).

Ian Ewen-Street (Greens, list).

Russell Fairbrother (Lab, Napier).

Jeanette Fitzsimons (Greens, list).

Stephen Franks (ACT, list).

Martin Gallagher (Lab, Hamilton West).

Phil Goff (Lab, Mt Roskill).

Mark Gosche (Lab, Maungakiekie).

Ann Hartley (Lab, Northcote).

George Hawkins (Lab, Manurewa).

Dave Hereora (Lab, list).

Rodney Hide (ACT, list).

Marian Hobbs (Lab, Wellington Central).

Pete Hodgson (Lab, Dunedin North).

Parekura Horomia (Lab, Ikaroa-Rawhiti).

Darren Hughes (Lab, Otaki).

Jonathan Hunt (Lab, list).

Sue Kedgley (Greens, list).

Annette King (Lab, Rongotai).

Keith Locke (Greens, list).

Moana Mackey (Lab, list).

Steve Maharey (Lab, Palmerston North).

Nanaia Mahuta (Lab, Tainui).

Trevor Mallard (Lab, Hutt South).

Ron Mark (NZ First, list).

Mahara Okeroa (Lab, Te Tai Tonga).

David Parker (Lab, Otago).

Mark Peck (Lab, Invercargill).

Jill Pettis (Lab, Whanganui).

Lynne Pillay (Lab, Waitakere).

Richard Prebble (ACT, list).

Katherine Rich (Nat, list).

Mita Ririnui (Lab, Waiariki).

Ross Robertson (Lab, Manukau East).

Matt Robson (Prog C, list).

Heather Roy (ACT, list).

Dover Samuels (Lab, Te Tai Tokerau).

Ken Shirley (ACT, list).

Clem Simich (Nat, Tamaki).

Lockwood Smith (Nat, Rodney).

Jim Sutton (Lab, Aoraki).

Nandor Tanczos (Greens, list).

Judith Tizard (Lab, Auckland Central).

Metiria Turei (Greens, list).

Mike Ward (Greens, list).

Margaret Wilson (Lab, list).

Pansy Wong (Nat, list).

Dianne Yates (Lab, list).


NOES: 50


Paul Adams (UF, list).

Marc Alexander (UF, list).

Shane Ardern (Nat, Taranaki-King Country).

Donna Awatere Huata (Independent).

Larry Baldock (United Future, list).

Peter Brown (NZ First, list).

Gerry Brownlee (Nat, Ilam).

David Carter (Nat, list).

John Carter (Nat, Northland).

Brent Catchpole (NZ First, list).

Deborah Coddington (ACT, list).

Judith Collins (Nat, Clevedon).

Brian Connell (Nat, Rakaia).

Gordon Copeland (UF, list).

Clayton Cosgrove (Lab, Waimakariri).

Peter Dunne (UF, Ohariu-Belmont).

Harry Duynhoven (Lab, New Plymouth).

Bill English (Nat, Clutha-Southland).

Taito Phillip Field (Lab, Mangere).

Sandra Goudie (Nat, Coromandel).

Bill Gudgeon (NZ First, list).

Phil Heatley (Nat, Whangarei).

Paul Hutchison (Nat, Port Waikato).

Dail Jones (NZ First, list).

John Key (Nat, Helensville).

Wayne Mapp (Nat, North Shore).

Murray McCully (Nat, Albany).

Craig McNair (NZ First, list).

Muriel Newman (ACT, list).

Damien O'Connor (Lab, West Coast-Tasman).

Bernie Ogilvy (UF, list).

Pita Paraone (NZ First, list).

Edwin Perry (NZ First, list).

Jim Peters (NZ First, list).

Winston Peters (NZ First, Tauranga).

Simon Power (Nat, Rangitikei).

Tony Ryall (Nat, Bay of Plenty).

Lynda Scott (Nat, Kaikoura).

Murray Smith (UF, list).

Nick Smith (Nat, Nelson).

Roger Sowry (Nat, list).

Barbara Stewart (NZ First, list).

Paul Swain (Lab, Rimutaka).

John Tamihere (Lab, Tamaki Makarau).

Georgina te Heuheu (Nat, list).

Lindsay Tisch (Nat, Piako).

Judy Turner (UF, list).

Maurice Williamson (Nat, Pakuranga).

Doug Woolerton (NZ First, list).

Richard Worth (Nat, Epsom).


- NZPA