Media Release 16 March 2013
Family First NZ says that two online polls taken during the week show a continuing trend of declining support for the same-sex marriage bill currently being debated in Parliament.
An online NZ Herald poll completed by more than 20,000 people showed support for the same-sex marriage bill at 44% with 52% opposed. A Yahoo poll also found majority opposition to the bill.
“Although unscientific polls, they are consistent with the trend of scientific polls,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “We always knew that once we got past the slogan of ‘marriage equality’ and debated the real impact of redefining marriage, that New Zealanders would understand that there is no need for a ‘same-sex marriage’ bill.”
A Herald on Sunday poll in January showed that support for redefining marriage has fallen from a previous high of 63% in a ONE News Colmar Brunton poll last May to just 53% now. This echoes a similar slide in polling by Research NZ which showed support for ‘same-sex marriage’ dropping to less than 50%, down 11% from a similar poll in 2011.
A Curia Market research poll commissioned by Family First NZ in February found 47% support for redefining marriage and 53% saying civil unions were sufficient, or were unsure.
“These results are energising our campaign to maintain the definition of marriage as is, and shows that the politicians do not have a public mandate to change such a major social and cultural institution,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
