Rushed Marriage Bill Angers Jilted Submitters

Media Release 4 February 2013
More than 200 submitters who have been denied the opportunity to make oral submissions on the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill have written an Open Letter to the Prime Minister John Key, the Speaker of the House, and the Select Committee considering the bill, questioning the speed with which the bill is being pushed through, and asking for the right to make their oral submission.

“This number of submitters is approximately the same as the number of submitters that the Select Committee has actually hand-picked to make oral submissions so far. It is quite evident that this bill is being rammed through and submitters are being effectively censored,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“Other Members’ bills are not being rammed through at such speed. Some of these bills are being considered by the same Select Committee. The Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill was introduced a month before the same-sex marriage bill, and yet the Select Committee report is not due until August 2013. The Lobbying Disclosure Bill also had its first reading a month before the same-sex marriage bill, yet the report is not due until the end of July. The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Bill – a government bill – has 12 months for the Select Committee to consider.”

“Yet the same-sex marriage bill has just six months to consider 20,000-plus submissions, hear oral submissions, and report back. This is a cynical but calculated attempt to ram through a highly controversial law change without due consideration and debate,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Family First NZ has written to the Chairperson of the Select Committee twice without any acknowledgement or answers to their queries, and they are also seeking assistance from the new Speaker of the House.

TEXT OF OPEN LETTER

OPEN LETTER

Denying the Opportunity to Make Oral Submissions on the ‘Same-Sex Marriage’ Bill

We, the undersigned, are calling for the Government Administration Select Committee hearing submissions on the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill to hear our oral submissions.

The fact that a record 20,000 submissions have been received on this bill shows just how important this issue is to so many people. It is a major change to an important human institution and foundation of our society.

We reject any claim that some of our submissions are ‘form letters’ simply because some of us followed the easy-to-use layout guidelines provided by groups such as Family First NZ. If anything, they assisted us in participating in the democratic process. Why is that involvement now being denied?

Our submissions were carefully considered and expressed our own personal views on this controversial bill.

We note that other Members’ bills are not being dealt with at such speed.

• The Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill was introduced a month before the same-sex marriage bill, and yet the Select Committee report is not due until August 2013 i.e. more than a year to consider.
• The Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill has 11 months to consider and hear submissions before the Select Committee report is due.
• The Lobbying Disclosure Bill (also being considered by the Government Administration Select Committee) also had its first reading a month before the same-sex marriage bill, yet the report is not due until the end of July i.e. 12 months to consider.
• The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Services) Bill – a government bill also being considered by the Government Administration Select Committee – has 12 months for the Select Committee to consider.
• And the Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill had its 1^st Reading in September 2010 and the report is not due until July 2013!

Yet the same-sex marriage bill has just six months to consider 20,000+ submissions, hear oral submissions, and report back.

Why the rush? We believe the marriage bill is hugely significant to our nation – as evidenced by the massive number of submissions.

It is quite obvious that the same-sex marriage bill is being rushed through without appropriate debate and consideration.

In a healthy democracy, the people are entitled to speak and deserve to be heard in full. It should not be rushed, and democracy should not be denied, just because of a pre-determined reporting date which fails to recognise the weight of the issue.

We ask for the right to speak to our submission.