SPCS Media Release: 17 April 2013

Parliament has voted tonight to make same-sex 'marriage' legal. The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment bill was passed at the Third Reading stage by a majority vote of 77 to 44.

In anticipation that this bill would probably be passed the Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc. (“SPCS”) added a definition of “marriage” in its constitution in response to the utter confusion generated by the promoters of Louisa Wall’s legally flawed bill that seeks to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. The bill also erroneously asserts in its Explanatory Note, that the Principal Act – the Marriage Act 1955 - discriminates against ‘gay’ couples. (It does NOT ! see Quilter v. Attorney General [1998]).

At its Annual General Meeting on 28 January 2013 chaired by Society President, John Mills, a Kapiti Coast businessman, Society members voted unanimously to add a definition of marriage to section 2(c) of its Constitution: “Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”. This now clarifies the longstanding object 2(c): “To promote wholesome personal values, including strong family life and the benefits of lasting marriage as the foundation for stable communities.”

Without this change to its Constitution (which now uses the same words to define “marriage” taken from Australian legislation passed in 1984 – The Marriage Legislation Amendment Act 1984) - the Society would be required (by its own Constitution) “to promote … the benefits of lasting [heterosexual] marriage” as well as ‘gay marriage’ … “ as the foundation for stable communities.” To do the latter would be anathema to the Society, as it holds to the universally held view that marriage is a unique loving relationship involving two persons of opposite gender: one male and one female, a relationship that by nature is orientated towards the generation of and nurturing of children. In contrast no gay couple can between themselves produce children (the relationship is biologically sterile).

The concept of ‘gay marriage’ as pointed out by Society spokesperson, David Lane, to the Government Administration Committee, in the Society’s oral submission on the bill, is an oxymoron. The bill if passed into law would render the concept of marriage meaningless.

To see the Society’s written submission on the bill go to:

http://www.spcs.org.nz/2012/submission-on-the-marriage-amendment-bill/

To see the Society’s revised constitution go to www.societies.govt.nz (Inc. Soc. No. 217833)

ENDS

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