A press release from Family Life International, New Zealand
Thursday July 21, 2005
United Future MP’s proposed Bill provides the Government an opportunity to prove that it did not lie when introducing
civil unions to NZ
Today’s announcement that United Future MP Larry Baldock will be introducing a Marriage Amendment Bill to parliament
offers the Government an opportunity to prove its claim that its civil union legislation was not meant to change the
status of traditional marriage.
This legislation is important because it gives due protection to traditional marriage and those who seek to promote and
educate about it in this country.
This vital Bill clarifies three things:
1. It specifies that a marriage can only be between one man and one woman, and provides that ‘marriage’ between people
of the same sex is prohibited.
2. It specifies that same-sex ‘marriages’ registered in foreign countries are not recognised as marriages in New
Zealand.
3. It amends the Bill of Rights Act 1990 to ensure that measures intended to promote or advance marriage (pre-marriage
counselling, etc) are not considered to be discriminatory.
It also follows the example of other western countries that have already enacted such legislation.
If the Government does not support this Bill then they cannot claim to represent the thousands of married couples who
populate this country, and that they lied about their true intent when introducing civil union legislation.
Their lack of support for this Bill would also show that they really do have an agenda to introduce homosexual marriage
to New Zealand and that their civil union legislation was nothing more than a minority political vehicle to achieve this
end.
ENDS