Nathaniel Waikari of Porirua seeks divine intervention to stop the Civil Union Bill being passed into law. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Nathaniel Waikari of Porirua seeks divine intervention to stop the Civil Union Bill being passed into law. Picture / Mark Mitchell

"We are the champions, my friends" screamed the old Queen song from the speakers across Parliament's forecourt and half the crowd roared and waved their orange balloons.

The other half, carrying placards firmly opposed to the Civil Union Bill, remained closed-mouthed.

It was midday, five and a half hours before the final 65-55 vote, and opponents had planned a silent protest.

But the silence also reflected something deeper - they knew they had lost.

Then Campaign for Civil Union organisers, who have strongly rejected suggestions that the bill allows gay marriage, provocatively pushed another button and on came a familiar wedding tune and the song Chapel of Love.

" ... we're going to the chapel and we're gonna get married ... "

The "Mum and Dad Say No to Civil Union Bull" banner trembled.

Later, inside Parliament, MPs resumed their final debate on the bill and continued to argue the toss over what has become the key point of contention - was it gay marriage or not?

While some MPs from the same political parties sang the same tune, others simply contradicted their own colleagues.

National MP Nick Smith argued it was gay marriage, as did United Future.

Labour and the Greens argued it was not.

"Is this gay marriage?" asked Green MP Nandor Tanczos. "Well, I wish it was. We wanted to amend the Marriage Act."

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the Government was claiming the law would bring about "one law for all" but it wouldn't.

It was simply a "sop" to the gay community, but one which ultimately treated them as second-class citizens because it denied them the right to marry.

Fellow New Zealand First MP Dail Jones declared the opposite, saying "marriage should only be for a man and a woman".

Labour MP Russell Fairbrother said Mr Peters was right.

"This is a sop for the gay community", which was not being accorded equal rights with heterosexuals.

The Government had compromised because many New Zealanders were simply not ready for legal gay marriage, he said.