As the bill to legalise same-sex marriage moves ahead, Rotorua Daily Post columnist Garth George and chief reporter Kristin Macfarlane share their different views on the subject:
Garth George:
With bewildering and indecent haste, the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, commonly known as the same-sex marriage bill, has been steamrollered through Parliament and, barring a miracle, will become law sometime next month.
Thus will the very foundation of human society be bent irreparably out of shape.
No more brides and grooms, no more husbands and wives, no more mothers and fathers.
Imagine that?
How is it that this destructive, life-changing piece of legislation - a private member's bill pulled from the ballot only in August last year - will have homosexual and lesbian couples able to marry, probably by August this year?
Its proponents, led by its proposer, Labour list MP Louisa Wall, tell us that the bill is based on "equality", that the law as it stands "discriminates" against homosexuals.
I'm staggered at the number of people, including parliamentarians, who have been taken in by this nonsense.
It is just another step in the campaign to legitimise homosexuality.
Even two of the world's most powerful leaders, US President Barack Obama and his possible successor, Hilary Clinton, have declared for same-sex marriage.
Most of us thought the question of homosexual and lesbian partnerships was more than adequately catered for by the Civil Unions Act passed in 2004, of which, incidentally, Helen Clark said: "Marriage is only for heterosexuals.
The Government is not - underline not - changing the Marriage Act.
That will remain as an option for heterosexual couples only."
How things change.
Which brings me to the second real reason for this same-sex marriage proposal: The civil unions legislation does not provide for same-sex couples to adopt children; only an amendment to the Marriage Act will do that.
Thus will another of humanity's longest and most cherished foundations - mum, dad and the kids - crumble to dust.
If there ever was a blatantly perfect example of wanting to have your cake and eat it too, this has to be it.
Furthermore, this amendment is solely for the benefit of the homosexual and lesbian community, which makes up less than 4 per cent of our population.
So the nation is being held to ransom, urged to unravel an institution as old as mankind, by the tiniest of minorities.
And on top of all that there is the progression of another decades-old agenda - the blurring of gender differences.
We are constantly being encouraged to believe, not only that male and female are equal, but that male and female are the same.
And that in spite of the obvious (and I say glorious) physical, mental, emotional and spiritual differences between men and women that are so obvious as to have been taken for granted since man first walked this Earth.
The amendment's proponents and supporters keep telling us that most New Zealanders support the amendment, yet the latest polls all show that to be false.
One online poll this week sums them all up: of 20,000 respondents just 44 per cent were in favour of same-sex marriage and 52 per cent against.
The only good news in this whole sordid affair is that three of our four Bay of Plenty MPs - Tony Ryall, Simon Bridges and Todd McClay - have stuck to their principles and opposed the amendment from the start.
My local Rotorua MP, Mr McClay, has spent hours researching the ramifications of the amendment and the more he has discovered the more certain he has become that his opposition is essential.
The holdout is Te Ururoa Flavell, but that may change when the crucial last vote is taken.
Thank God we have wide-awake and intelligent members representing us.
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Kristin Macfarlane:
I am getting pretty bored with the judgmental and ignorant views of people who feel it's their right to determine how someone else should live their life.
Honestly, what right does anyone have in deciding who someone can or can't marry?
The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill, commonly known as the same-sex marriage bill could (fingers crossed) become law next month. But it hasn't moved forward without controversy.
Apparently same-sex marriage defies the sanctity of marriage, it is morally wrong, puts the existence of the human race at risk and it's disgusting. All of these views are ones I've read or heard and fall far from my own beliefs.
I am of the view that when it comes to consenting adults no one has the right to decide who someone else chooses to love and spend their life with. Who are you to breach their human rights?
The sanctity of marriage is not at risk and how does judging one's life impact your own? Does it impact your health or wellbeing? I think not and it must really take a lot of wasted time and effort.
And some of those judgmental views are probably why gay youths commit suicide. Last year we ran an anti-bullying campaign called Stop The Hate. We revealed how Rotorua's gay teens were constantly faced with threats and teasing - and dealt with it in many ways, including harming themselves.
What sort of message are we sending those kids by saying we don't agree with your life or think you should be able to marry one day.
Let's be honest here. How many people today do you know or know of, who have divorced their partners whether it's after a few months, a year or so or more than a decade of marriage. I know people who fall into each of those categories. Divorces happen all the time. Straight couples cheat and decide they aren't in love anymore so how does that defy the sanctity of marriage anymore than same couples marrying?
Are there any other examples where people are able to tell a stranger who they can and can not marry? People have opinions over arranged marriages, but they can't stop it, so why should anyone stop a same-sex marriage?
It seems to me that these people who are unhappy with the same-sex marriage laws would prefer it if I, a straight woman, decided to marry someone just hours after meeting them, than a marriage between a same-sex couple deeply in love who have spent years together.
It's all a bit odd. In fact, I've never heard one good reason to not allow same-sex marriages.
Garth George is entitled to his opinion on this page but for thousands of loving couples - same-sex at that - it's irrelevant.
In a decade's time I'm hoping we look back at today and wonder why we were ever so worried about same-sex marriage. Just like previous societal attitudes towards racism, sexism, even smoking laws ... for many it was the end of the world at the time, but now we wonder why it took so long for everyone to come around.
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender to skin colour, the complexion of your pigment
The same fight that led people to walk outs and sit ins
It's human rights for everybody, there is no difference!
- Macklemore, Same Love
Rotorua's council is investigating the source and monitoring gas levels.