Stuff co.nz 2 July 2014
Ten years ago a bill passed through Parliament, delighting those campaigning for the rights of same-sex couples across the country.
The Civil Union Act 2004 led to the first civil unions being celebrated on April 29, 2005.
A total of 3227 New Zealand couples have had civil unions till March this year.
They include Labour Party general secretary Tim Barnett, a strong campaigner for civil unions 10 years ago, and his partner, Ramon Maniapoto.
Barnett, 55, and Maniapoto, 44, had been together for more than six years when they entered into a civil union in 2007.
Barnett, who was a Labour MP for Christchurch Central at the time of the couple’s civil union at Waitetoko Marae near Turangi, says it was an “emotional” affair.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10220873/Civil-unions-fall-off-but-still-have-place
