Civil Union: Four views - Conservative and Liberal

CLEM SIMICH: Catholic who voted Yes

This is Catholicism in action and that is being fair to everyone and not discriminating.

That's what the Church should stand for and this bill does that.

Homosexual people have been discriminated against forever and this goes some way to redressing it. A referendum is the wrong way to go.

This is an issue where any Government must be fair to and look after the minority; a referendum doesn't do that and can't do that.

ASHRAF CHOUDHARY Muslim who voted Yes

If the law allows one minority group in our society to be discriminated against then all minorities are vulnerable.

My conscience decision to support this bill is not an endorsement of homosexuality or gay marriage; it is the endorsement of the basic human values of equality, justice and respect for all peoples which reflects traditional Muslim values.

The job of a politician is to do what is best for his country and all its people.

DEBORAH CODDINGTON Social liberal who voted No

It's politically correct clap-trap. It's discriminatory. I've nothing against gay marriage but that is not what this is.

It is saying to same-sex or gay couples "you are not quite good enough to have a marriage so we'll give you second best". If it was a gay marriage bill I would support it.

This is just the Labour Government vote-buying, we're-nice-to-gays garbage. Why shouldn't they get married? It should be up to the churches or institutions to say whether they want to marry them or not, not us.

MAURICE WILLIAMSON Social liberal who voted No

It's not morals or black-shirt march to Parliament type of opposition. In the mid-80s the gay community asked to be recognised for their difference. They wanted to celebrate their difference, they wanted to be treated differently, they weren't the same as heterosexuals and it was wrong they were being discriminated against.

I accepted that ... then years later they seemed to come back with a complete reversal of that argument and saying they now wanted the same institutions as heterosexuals have.