National today strongly opposed the final step in passing the Government's Property (Relationships) Amendment Bill into law.

"This Bill is social engineering and political correctness gone mad. We would not wish it on any couple in New Zealand whether they are a married, de facto or same sex couple," National MP Tony Ryall said in the debate today.

"This Bill leaves it up to judges to decide the division of assets on a case by case basis. There will be no certainty and different judges will produce different rulings.

"Judges will be required to predict future earnings when assessing the appropriate split of assets. What if they get it wrong?

"More cases will go to court. Lawyers predict 75-80% of relationship break-ups will go before the courts compared with only 10% now. The family courts are already clogged. Judges advise that at least six new judges will be required to cope with the increased workload.

"Loose definitions in key parts of the legislation mean courts will be making rules that Parliament should have made.

"But the worst con perpetrated by this legislation is in contracting out. Family lawyers say this will cost at least $1,000 per partner. The Government's answer is a quick and cheap form which won't be worth the paper it's written on.

"Many de facto partners won't agree to opt out of the legislation. This is unfair on the partner who wants to protect their assets. It will affect elderly widows or widowers who enter a de facto relationship for companionship when their husband or wife passes away, or divorcees with assets from a previous relationship.

"The Government is proposing to spend only $200,000 on publicity for the changes, compared to the over $1.2 million it spent on the Employment Relations Bill. This Bill affects 236,000 New Zealanders in de facto relationships and hundreds of thousands in marriages and they have a right to know about it.

"This Bill will have the unintended consequence of financially marrying every de facto couple in New Zealand," Mr Ryall said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>