Civil Unions opponents fight losing battle

Parliament is preparing for a long haul on the Civil Union Bill this afternoon with opponents of the controversial legislation fighting a losing battle.

The Government put Parliament into urgency to get through the bill's committee stage, and the National Party has put up more than 70 amendments designed to totally re-write it and defeat its purpose of giving legal recognition to same-sex and heterosexual partnerships.

MP Richard Worth's amendments are designed to change it so a "civil relationship" applies to any couple, including friends or relatives who live together and want to settle their financial affairs.

The first amendments were defeated last night, while the first part of the bill was voted through unchanged on a 65-54 majority.

Opponents of the bill, who say it is an immoral "gay marriage" law, are pinning their hopes on an amendment put up by New Zealand First that would force a referendum on it at next year's general election.

However, with the pattern of voting that was developing last night the referendum proposal appears to be doomed.

Yesterday, MPs again clashed angrily in the debating chamber.

National's Nick Smith called the bill "gay marriage in drag" and told the Government to stop trying to pull off a fraud.

His colleague Brian Connell said the Government had no mandate to pass it, and if it was an election issue Labour would lose power.

Labour's transsexual MP Georgina Beyer led the charge against them, saying arguments against the bill were based on "pious moral grounds with a very strong religious overtone".

"While much of our tradition may be based on the Christianity ethic, in the modern world there are a number of other beliefs," she said.

"Should we all live under the tyranny of the majority of the so-called Christian believers in this country?"

Other Labour MPs said it was a human rights issue, no one was being forced into civil unions, and the new law would have no effect at all on marriage.

When the bill has completed its committee stage it will go to its third reading and the vote that will put it into law.

That vote is expected to be taken on Thursday.

- NZPA