Public Side-lined as Activists Force Cultural Change
“While proponents of the redefinition of marriage continue to move the bill forward, the public of New Zealand has been
side lined” says Colin Craig, leader of the Conservative Party.
“We have a Select Committee that refused to hear many submitters, cases of MPs refusing to meet with constituents, and
last night a proposal to put the matter to a referendum was voted down in parliament. “
“The irony is, that most of the MPs who opposed the referendum proposal last night, expect the National government to
hold and be guided by a referendum on state asset sales. This double standard is hard to justify when you consider that
the sale of state assets was a declared policy prior to last election, unlike redefining marriage which the public have
not had the chance to consider or vote on.
Mr Craig says “Supporters of this bill have from the outset maintained that this bill does no harm and will not affect
the existing institution of marriage. This is simply not true, as the redefinition of marriage is a cultural change
being forced upon New Zealanders. To make this change without a mandate from the people is utterly inappropriate.”
“The debate last night was disappointing. Very few MPs commented on what this change will mean to New Zealand society
and what future impacts can be expected. “
“There was little mention of the change to adoption practice, and that as a nation we are now proposing that same-sex
parents provide an equally good parenting arrangement as a Mum and Dad. This is a highly contestable viewpoint, and one
that deserves extensive discussion with reference to the relevant research. Independent polling shows that New
Zealanders clearly think that a loving Mum and Dad is the preferred parenting arrangement for adoptive children. Fifteen
years from now will those who supported the bill last night be willing to face such children as teenagers and explain
why they thought they could do without a Mum or Dad?
"There seemed to be little understanding that the bill promotes Gender Neutralisation. This is most obviously seen in
the impending removal of terms such as “bride” and “bridegroom” from marriage forms and “husband” and “wife" from
certain legislation including the Adoption Act. Gender difference does matter and the combination of both male and
female in a marriage and in parenting is unique and distinct from a same sex relationship. I believe a majority of New
Zealanders support the current differentiation that exists in New Zealand law.” Says Mr Craig.
ENDS