Dominion Post 23 Jan 2013
MPs considering gay marriage legislation have been presented with a 72,000-strong petition opposing the move.
Parliament’s government administration select committee is considering Labour MP Louisa Wall’s Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill and will report back to Parliament on February 28. If passed, the bill could see gay marriage legal in New Zealand by May next year.
At a hearing in Auckland yesterday, Family First spokesman Bob McCoskrie presented the committee with a 72,000-signature petition against the bill.
The lobby group last year presented Parliament with the same petition, at that stage with 48,000 signatures.
Mr McCoskrie told the committee marriage was a sacred union between man and woman.
“Nature is exclusive and discriminatory,” he said. “Only a man and woman can create a baby.”
He also said it was not up to the state to “re-engineer” a pre- political tradition.
Mr McCoskrie’s argument was backed by the New Zealand Christian Network’s Glyn Carpenter. He said there should be a public referendum.
“The main risk is the future generation will grow up knowing that marriage is a social construct determined by the Parliament of the day, rather something to aspire to,” he said. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/8210872/72-000-sign-against-gay-marriage
