MPs under pressure as civil unions lose support

By HELEN TUNNAH, deputy political editor

Frantic lobbying has begun at Parliament to keep plans for civil unions alive as the number of MPs expected to vote for it tomorrow begins to slide.

Days ago the Civil Union Bill had been expected to comfortably clear its first reading tomorrow and go to a select committee for public scrutiny.

But last night, numbers in favour of the bill had dropped, as some Labour and National MPs indicated they had major reservations.

The bill offers civil unions as an alternative to marriage, for gay and straight couples.

A second new law, the Relationships Bill, would end discrimination against same-sex and de facto couples but is not expected to be voted on until next week.

An indication that numbers are tighter than expected has come with Prime Minister Helen Clark's clear support for civil unions.

And yesterday Labour's first openly gay MP, Chris Carter, argued passionately for the two bills.

If they were voted down, he said, New Zealand risked its reputation as a society tolerant of diversity.

He also reminded fellow Labour MPs that introducing civil unions and ending discrimination against gays was party policy.

At least 60 of Parliament's 119 MPs will have to back the bill for it to be sent to a select committee.

Last week, the bill was thought to have support from 70 to 73 MPs. That may now be down to 63 or 64 votes.

Up to 10 Labour MPs oppose the bill. Their votes will be critical, as will any move by MPs to abstain.

Those in Labour thought to oppose civil unions include critics of the law decriminalising prostitution last year, such as Taito Phillip Field, Dover Samuels, Clayton Cosgrove, Damien O'Connor and possibly Harry Duynhoven and Janet Mackey.

Two who backed prostitution laws, but are against civil unions, are Cabinet ministers Paul Swain and John Tamihere.

Most of those MPs also form a conservative cabal within Labour, and were unhappy at Helen Clark's February Cabinet reshuffle which saw David Benson-Pope inherit the Civil Union Bill from his sacked predecessor Lianne Dalziel.

Complicating the debate is the civil unions' companion legislation, the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill, which would end discrimination against couples who are not married, both straight and gay, and in de facto or civil union relationships.

NZ First yesterday said two of its 13 MPs had indicated their support of the Civil Union Bill to a select committee. Only a handful of National MPs are expected to do the same.

United Future's eight MPs oppose the bill. The nine Green MPs and two Progressive MPs support it.

Act's eight MPs are split, and independent Donna Awatere Huata remains undecided.