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18 Apr 2013

New Zealand becomes first country in Asia-Pacific to legalise same-sex marriage

New Zealand has become the first country in the Asia Pacific region and the 13th worldwide to legalise same-sex marriage after its parliament voted 77 to 44 on Wednesday night.

New Zealand's parliament has voted 77 to 44 to approve the Marriage Equality Bill on its third and final reading on Wednesday night.

MPs and those in the public gallery broke into applause after the results was announced after a two-hour debate. They then broke into song singing the New Zealand love song "Pokarekare Ana" in the indigenous Maori language as those opposed to the bill quietly left the public gallery.


Labour MP Louisa Wall (left) and National MP Tau Henare
were presented with flowers in Parliament.

The bill was sponsored by opposition Labour MP Louisa Wall. MPs were allowed a conscience vote on the bill and did not have to vote along party lines.

Wall, who is gay, said it was important to learn from history, and cited examples of marriage being used as a tool of oppression – the banning of marriage between German nationals and Jews in 1935, and the banning of interracial marriage in South Africa before 1985.

"Excluding a group in society from marriage is oppressive and unacceptable. Today we're embarrassed and appalled by these examples. And in every instance it was action by the state. This is not about church teachings or philosophy. It never has been.

"It's about the State excluding people from the institution of marriage because of their sex, sexual orientation or gender identity. And that's no different from the actions taken in these historical examples."

The bill will take effect in mid August and comes 27 years after New Zealand decriminalised homosexuality, notes the New Zealand Herald.


MPs and those in the public gallery breaking into song singing
the New Zealand love song "Pokarekare Ana"


National MP Maurice Williamson delivers a witty and uplifting pro-gay
marriage speech: “All we are doing with this bill is allowing two people
who love each other to have that love recognized by way of marriage.
That is all we are doing. We are not declaring nuclear war on a foreign state.
We are not bringing a virus in that could wipe out our agriculture
sector forever. We are allowing two people who love each other
to have that recognized..."





ACT leader John Banks, who as a former National MP was a leading opponent
of decriminalising homosexuality in the 1980s, admitted his views
had changed since he described the 1986 Homosexual Law Reform bill as
evil and sickening.  After "three decades, and ten Parliaments, I have had
time to reflect", he told Parliament.  "To reflect on what I said, and what I did.
"If I knew then, what I have learned since, I would have acted differently."
Source: The Southland Times (Stuff.co.nz)

New Zealand

读者回应

1. 2013-04-18 14:46  
I wonder which nations will be the last to change the rules?
2. 2013-04-18 17:46  
A long time coming, but New Zealand did it, despite a nasty conservative government. Now all we need is real equal say and equal rights and real democracy...
回应#3於於2013-04-18 17:46被作者删除。
回应#4於於2013-04-19 00:46被作者删除。
5. 2013-04-19 07:27  
It was indeed a landmark piece of legislation and, apart from the small, ineffectual, NZFirst Party (whose few members vote against), members of parliament were able to vote according to their personal beliefs and conscience. It sure made me proud to be a New Zealander.
6. 2013-04-19 08:39  
Take that Australia!
The debate in Australia now has turned to the fact they don't even recognise marriages performed outside of their country if they are same-sex unions.
At least we had a conscience vote in our parliament and it was more or less a two-thirds majority in favour of the change.
NZ is now expecting a rush of LGBT people here to get married.
7. 2013-04-21 13:37  
yes is good news and puts Australia to shame!
i am hoping to marry my Philippino bf there as there is still no
Asian country nearby to Philippines yet what a hassle for us both!
8. 2013-04-22 00:25  
Watching how the parliament breaks into a song and appropriately pause proceedings to 'live the moment', that shows it's a nation with soul and spirit.

I wish the day Singapore parliament could liven with life and love for its people too.
9. 2013-04-28 15:59  
i find interesting economic regulations that never been in any part of world nor in education institutions in the world as well. these will overcome years old problems in indonesia and other countries, but I do not release to public yet because my background is not economic. To give way to the experts to release first.

similarity that our problems are we are in prison of darkness, greedy, no love, loss consciousness,small heart-intolerant,etc
Traits can be devided into 4 T : True, Trained, Though and Turn

Even we are at different polar, there is solution to create more beautiful and amazing thing that we never though before.
Just be honest each other that we all have weakness and tell our weakness to everybody

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