Catholics say Civil Unions Bill puts Labour vote in jeopardy

By CLAIRE TREVETT

The Hamilton Diocese of the Catholic Church crossed swords with Labour MPs yesterday, warning the Government could expect its vote from Church members to languish should legislation to give homosexual relationships the same legal status as marriage be passed.

MPs on the justice and electoral select committee listened yesterday to submissions on the Civil Unions Bill.

The Labour members of the committee received a warning from the Catholic Church when Hamilton diocese member Tom Purcell said the church's support of Labour was once "as sacred as marriage".

When Act MP Stephen Franks asked how important the bill was in terms of Catholic voting, Mr Purcell said the impact on the vote would be enormous.

He said the bill was the most important piece of legislation of his lifetime.

"This bill is much more important to the whole of society than whether we joined Britain and went to war with Hitler."

Peter Richardson, a Catholic lay person said the bill "cuts to the core of what we are about as individuals and as family".

"My message to the Labour members of this select committee is that you did not have the mandate to undertake the social engineering that you have been."

As he finished his warning, Lianne Dalziel said: "Well the Catholic Church has got a lot to answer for."

Several other churches and Christian groups also opposed the bill, warning marriage was the very fabric of society and had existed long before the State, and accusing the State of social engineering.

Votes on the bill will be conscience votes for most parties.

Keith and Margaret Dimond

The couple issued a warning to the party that they had worked and campaigned for in the last two elections.

Asked what they would do if Labour pushed the bill into law before the next election, Mr Dimond responded: "We will resign."

However, supporters of the bill challenged others to say exactly how marriage would be affected.

Lesbian advocate Jo Crowley

Same-sex relationships should have the same rights as marriage as a simple matter of human rights, she said.

It was also necessary to protect family stability and inheritance issues where children were involved.

She said society had broadly accepted homosexuality.

"The social barometer has swung hugely in support and acceptance of the gay, bisexual and lesbian communities to the point where this is the norm."

Thiry years ago when I came out, men were put in prison and women in mental institutions. Since then there has been huge movement in finding our niche in the community."

Caroline Bree

She said her inability to commit to her partner in a legal relationship did hurt.

"It hurts every time I am asked to congratulate a colleague who has got engaged."

Her research for postgraduate qualifications showed New Zealand was in a "lesbian baby boom" with more and more lesbian couples choosing to have children.

"Nothing will change that, we will not stop having babies. Our concerns are the rights of partners in medical emergencies, inheritances."

Maxim Institute

It continued its opposition to the bill, saying social research showed children did better in life when they were brought up by a mother and father.

The centre's managing director, Greg Fleming, said most of the areas of claimed discriminations, such as inheritance and the right to visit in hospital, were already covered in law or in reality.

"Our key concern is the consequences of redefining marriage, especially on children. Social science shows children do best when raised by the mother and father who created them."

He said an acceptable alternative to grant partners legal rights was a reciprocal beneficiary law, similar to Hawaii, which couples could opt into.

Many individuals also spoke, saying the institution of marriage was in a parlous enough state and the Civil Union Bill would only worsen it.

Jennie McKeown, Kaukapakapa

"What on earth are you doing, dealing with less than 1 per cent of the nation's concerns? They are not being killed or burned or beaten up. Why aren't you concentrating on making couples stay together in marriage.

"That is what the Government should be focusing on."

Helen Pearson

"There are other ways to give homosexuals equal rights without making such a massive social change. I am tired of New Zealand making world-leading legislation."

What they said

* Tom Purcell, Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, retired: This bill is much more important to the whole of society than whether we joined Britain and went to war with Hitler.

* Jo Crowley, lesbian, Auckland: No one has yet quantified how the effect of the Civil Union Bill will diminish marriage. If I listen to it, it sounds like they're saying "marriage is mine and you can't have it". It sounds churlish and immature.

* Sharee Adams, former Miss NZ: You guys will be dead in your graves pushing up the pansies and we will be reaping the effects of what this bill will bring.

* Graham Braddock, grandparent, Kaukapakapa: If the Civil Union Bill becomes law our grandchildren will step into a society where heterosexual, whole of life marriage has no greater legal merit than casual shack-ups, break-ups and partner-swapping liaisons of convenience and fickle desire.