Harawira seeks party direction on gay marriage

NZ Herald 21 June 2012
Mana leader Hone Harawira is coming under pressure from his party to support gay marriage, despite previously expressing discomfort about it, saying he was “morally very conservative”. Mr Harawira has so far refused to say whether he will vote in favour of gay marriage if a member’s bill to allow it comes up before Parliament. However, the issue has sparked debate among his wider party membership and Mr Harawira could be asked to put aside his own views and support it. Last year, when asked about the issue at Otago University, he did not answer directly but said: “I’m not a great fan of a society of huge choice, to tell you the truth. “I might be politically radical but morally I’m very conservative.” He said some of his own family were gay, but: “I’m still on the edge on that kind of thing.” Yesterday, he said he would not give his position until the Mana Party decided on its formal policy. When asked if he still had morally conservative views about it, he said: “I have views which are relatively conservative on a range of moral issues”.
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