NZ PM not opposed to gay marriage
New Zealand prime minister John Key has followed US president Barack Obama’s lead, saying he is not opposed to same-sex marriage, but added it’s not a priority for his government.
“I am not personally opposed to gay marriage,” Key said.
“It is possible that parliament may consider a member’s bill at some stage, but it is not on the government’s agenda.”
Same-sex couples in New Zealand are currently able to enter into a civil union which offers the same legal protections as a marriage.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Rodney Croome said he was “ashamed” Australia’s political leaders were not supportive of change.
“Australia’s national leaders are completely out of step with their counterparts in every other developed, English-speaking democracy – Canada, the UK, the US and now even New Zealand,” Croome said.
“Like many other Australians I am bewildered and ashamed that our country is being isolated from those nations with which we share most by two out-of-touch opponents of fundamental human rights.
“My hope is that [Prime Minister] Julia Gillard and [Opposition Leader] Tony Abbott’s increased isolation will compel them to reconsider their hard line.”
In a historic move this week, Obama said he supports the right of same-sex couples to marry.
Eleonore….
are you perhaps from far north queensland? Katter Country?
YOU marry your carrot and let me marry my partner of 5 yrs!
and a truffle is the fruiting body of an underground mushroom usually found at the base of oak trees…. if you’re going to use cooking metaphors… for god’s sake do it properly!
Actually, New Zealand was never truly a part of Australia at all. The British appointed the governor of New South Wales as also the governor of New Zealand; however, the Treaty of Waitangi never granted them the right to do this, and the fact that it was done was treated as a complete irrelevance and non-event by every party in New Zealand, including the colonial government.
Having recently studied the history of the Treaty of Waitangi and its consequences for New Zealand as a whole and the Maori in particular, I can tell you that the general consensus when asked whether they wished to be included in the Federation of Australia was one of polite bafflement; Australia had until then had no dealings with NZ politics, and was considered irrelevant to its future.
Perhaps it is time to revisit the inclusion of Australia in a Federation of New Zealand states; maybe then you poor Aussies will be vouchsafed the kind of human decency our government affords us.
Stuart, New Zealand decided long time ago not to be part of Australia. Its only a short trip aacross the water requiring just an australian passport for entry.
Oh Eleonore,
When a carrot can look after me in sickness and in health, and say “I do”, all people might just marry a carrot.
As far as Civil Unions go, there are 1084 laws that reference the Marriage Act, I hardly think a Ciivil Uion law would say “to be treated as if married”.
Chairman Mao in China banned same-sex marriages, so before we go all communist, let us pause and remember even Jesus did not call for a band on gay centurians married around him, the first law was not passed against same-sex marriage until some 349 years after his death.
As much as anyone might want the happy sentiment of marriage: marriage between two of the same doesn’t make any sense. The whole point of a marriage is uniting complementary difference or opposites. Imagine a top chef saying “for my new recipe I will marry carrot to, guess what, carrot.”??!? Well, the fellow might get a job with the BBC or the Tory party, but the Labour party came to a much more reasonable accommodation: civil union. A truffle is a marriage between a soft ganache and hard shell with a sweet inner and bitter cocoa dusting.
In fact, prior to 1846 New Zealand was in fact part of the New South Wales Colony – look at the history!
My my we are really way behind the times here in Australia!
The sooner Australia becomes a part of NZ, the better!