Mayor sorry about gay-parent claims

Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard has apologised to gays for urging Parliament not to allow civil unions, but wants to read up on additional information before considering a full retraction.

Mr Hubbard met members of the Gay Auckland Business Association after they asked him to explain why he signed a letter opposing the bill on the basis that children of gay couples were more likely to be victims of abuse and murder.

The letter was also signed by Mr Hubbard's wife, Diana, Air New Zealand chief executive Ralph Norris and his wife, Pam, and other high-profile people such as Alan Duff, of the Books in Homes programme, and former principal Youth Court judge Mick Brown.

Mr Hubbard told the association he "deeply regretted" offending members of the gay community and any other communities. He told them he was inclusive of the rich diversity of communities in the city.

"On reflection I accept that unfortunate perceptions were created by the letter sent on the Civil Union Bill," Mr Hubbard said.

He said that, like some MPs, he had changed his mind about the bill during the debate but would support and implement all aspects of it.

Association president Richard James said he believed Mr Hubbard, who told an association mayoral debate at the local body elections that he stood for diversity and tolerance. He respected Mr Hubbard's personal and "moral conservative" views about the traditional family.

Mr James said the association pointed out to Mr Hubbard that the statistics quoted in the letter he signed were from the 1980s, referred to British court records, concerned single-parent families and made no reference to gay parents.

The association said the letter could trigger an increase in violence towards the children of gay parents.

Mr Hubbard has agreed to read additional research supplied by the association on gay parenting.

"I accept gay couples can make good parents and I accept that some heterosexual couples in a marriage make bad parents," he said.

Mr James said his association ultimately wanted a full retraction to repair the damage to the gay community.