Select Committee Report on Civil Unions Welcomed

PrideAlliance is delighted that today's report from the Justice and Electoral Committee has recommended that the Civil Union bill be passed. Although continuing to deny marriage to same-sex couples is unreasonable discrimination, Civil Unions are an important step towards a society free from homophobia.

A welcome addition to the bill is the recognition within New Zealand as civil unions of civil unions and same-sex marriages solemnised overseas. The need for such recognition was pointed out in the PrideAlliance submission to the Select Committee.

We are, however, concerned that administrative fees for civil unions are expected to be higher than those for marriage. "Making same sex couples pay more for state recognition of their relationships is a very clear case of discrimination," said PrideAlliance spokesperson Kelly Buchanan.

We also regret that recognition of de facto relationships remains in the bill. "Automatic state recognition of de facto relationships raises serious privacy concerns," said Ms Buchanan. "With most barriers to wilful registration of relationships eliminated by the bill, identical treatment for unregistered relationships is not appropriate. The question of de facto relationships is a complex one that should be addressed separately."

Unfortunately, there is still a risk that the bill will not be passed. Despite the Labour Party claiming to be supportive of queer people, a number of Labour MPs voted against the bill at its first reading. Formal support for the bill by Labour as a whole would guarantee its passage, so if it fails, Labour should be held responsible.

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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>>