Rushed Marriage Bill Angers Jilted Submitters
4 February 2013
Rushed Marriage Bill Angers Jilted Submitters
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
Dear Prime Minister Rt Hon John Key,
Speaker of the House Hon David Carter,
Government Administration Select Committee.
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 1st 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.
Signed
First
name/s
Surname
City
Organisation (if applicable)
John & Rosemary
Adams
Palmerston
North
Darryn
Alexander
Auckland
Grant
Alexander
Rotorua
John
Allen
Upper Hutt
Bernie
Allen
Auckland
Heather
Ameye-Bevers
Auckland
Peter
Anderson
Auckland
Mairangi Bay Community Church
John
Aplin
Auckland
Zachary
Ardern
Auckland
George
Armitage
Tauranga
Alan
Armstrong
Timaru
Kerryn
Bailey
Auckland
Bayleigh
Baird
Twizel
Reuel
Baptista
Auckland
Chris &
Jenny
Bargh
Martinborough
Dominic
Baron
Upper Hutt
Sally &
John
Barton
Doaa
Bayoumy
Auckland
Islam
Dennis
& Valda
Beach
Tony
Becker
Peter &
Judith
Best
Gisborne
Jean
Beynon
Greymouth
Margaret
Bijl
Auckland
Chuck
Bird
Waikato
Stephen &
Christine
Black
Hamilton
Angela
Bodley
Auckland
Elaine
Borger
Nelson
Margaret
Bowden
Mike
Brewer
Auckland
Antony &
Deanne
Bridle
Silverdale
Jeph
Burns
Canterbury
Nick
Burtenshaw
Auckland
Deborah
Burton
Wellington
Scott
Butters
Kathleen
Campbell
Otaki
Bill
Capamagian
Tauranga
Brian
Caughley
Wellington
Intercessors for New Zealand
Carl
Cerecke
Auckland
Mark
Chapman
Hamilton
Peter
Cheyne
Dunedin
Patsy
Christie
Kapiti
Simone
Colwill
Auckland
Peter
Constable
Christchurch
Neil
Coup
Lower Hutt
Margaret
Cowan
Timaru
Leighton &
Stephanie
Crocker
Neville &
Rosie
Cross
Timaru
Richard, Linda &
Jason
Crowsen
Auckland
Hugh
Cunningham
Hawera
Wayne
Curham
Canterbury
Chris &
Kara
Dawson
Hamilton
Bernadette
de Wit Quaife
Dyanne
Dixon
Auckland
Gay-Lyn
Dos Santos
Hamilton
Murray & Alice
Downs
Te Awamutu
Paul
Duncan
Glen Eden
George
Elkington
Porirua
Lois
Elliott
Northland
Tasha &
Stuart
Ellis
Auckland
Levi
Ensing
Josiah
Ensing
Auckland
Hank
Ensing
Waikato
Rosemary
Erlam
Auckland
Tim &
Lynne
Euinton
Auckland
Marian
Evers
Masterton
Jane
Eyre
Hamilton
Phil
Fairbrass
Wellington
Wainuiomata Baptist Church
Robin
Fellingham
Fielding
Jane
Fergusson
Morrinsville
David
Flavell
Auckland
Steve
Fletcher
Lower Hutt
Tim &
Michelle
Fletcher
Te Kuiti
Rev
Michael
Flynn
Palmerston North
Reformed Church of Palmerston North.
Hermann
Frank
Timaru
Bruce
& Helene
Fraser
Martin
Frauenstein
Christchurch
Dr Pavel
Gajdusek
Timaru
Luboslava
Gajduskova
Timaru
Mike
Gallagher
Auckland
Jenny
Glen
Kapiti
Celine
Goulding
Peter
Grace
Roland
Green
Dunedin
Roger &
Karyn
Hamon
Waipa
Julianne
Hannah
Riccarton
Patrick
Harris
Auckland
David
Hart
Tauranga
Sandra
Hellewell
Christchurch
Simeon
Hemus
Auckland
Phil
Henderson
Napier
Onekawa Bible Church
Janet
Higham
Auckland
Julian
Highsted
Christchurch
Eric
Hill
Graham &
Jess
Hodder
Brandon
Holman
Leo &
Glenys
Hume
Auckland
John
Irvine
Hamiton
Bert &
Robyn
Jackson
Hamilton
Eric &
Joan
Jackson
Stephen
Jenkinson
Hawkes Bay
Stella
Kenyon
Hamilton
Nick
Kile
Kile Family Trust Limited
Jo
Kimi
Auckland
Jaap
Knegtmans
Upper Hutt
Graeme
Knowles
Wellington
Carol
Kohl
Patricia
Kubala
Wellington
Bill
Lambert
Bronwyn
Lane
Warkworth
Pauline
Lanigan
Howick
Geoff
Laurent
Auckland
Frances
Lavin
Michael
Lawry
Auckland
Iliganoa
Leota Ah Poe
Manurewa
Ruth & Noel
Linton
Tauranga
Bruce
Logan
Christchurch
Maurice
Lovegrove
Pukekohe
Franklin Christian Lobby
Anne
Maclean
Tony
McCall
Christine
McDonald
Masterton
Rosemary
McElroy
Auckland
Marion
McEwing
Madeline
McGilvray
Invercargill
Robert
McGowan
Andrew
McIntosh
Wellington
James
McKillop
New Plymouth
Dennis
McLeod
Agnes
McLintock
Christchurch
Jim
& Jenny
McPhee
Melton
Allan
McPherson
Wanganui
Allistair
Meikle
Gore
Roy
Menzies
Auckland
Victor
Meyer
Auckland
Hudson
Millar
Hamilton
Joanna
Moss
Peter
Mullholland
Wanganui
Barry
Muntz
Tairua
Ruth
Murray
Auckland
Gavin
Naftel
Wellington
Tani
Newton
Oamaru
Nigel
Ngatuakana
Ryan
Nickelchok
Auckland
Emil
Nye
Okiato Russell
Angela
O'Donnell
Christchurch
Brendan
O'Hagan
Blenheim
Blenheim Christian Ministers Association
Paul &
Philippa
O'Neill
Dunedin
Tuvalu &
Ingrid
Papau
Auckland
Matthew
Parfitt
Christchurch
Gary
Parker
William
Pascoe
Palmerston North
Stewart
Patrick
Gisborne
Mangapapa Church
Roger
Peart
Raglan
Mary
Pepping
Ron &
Kay
Peterson
Nelson
Jessica
Polgase
Jase and
Evelyn
Preston
Waikato
Hilary
Radloff
Mrs
Vanessa
Ralph
Kapiti Coast
Diana
Ranger
Wellington
Raffi
Rassam
Victoria
Raw
Blenheim
John
Redshaw
Hamilton
Jonathan
Rees
Masterton
Christine
Reeves
Gisborne
Brent &
Sue
Reid
Masterton
Joshua
Riddle
Ken
Riddle
Chris, Shalini &
Denver
Saldhana
Maria
Schmetzer
Christchurch
Bert
Schoneveld
Boyd
Scirkovich
Hamilton
Robert
& Linda
Scott
Wanganui
Tracey
Scott
Northland
Colin
Shilston
Warkworth
Gateway Church
Scott
Silsbee
Hamilton
Stephanie
Simmons
Dave
Sowerby
Wellington
Gordon &
Helen
Stanley
Northland
Otamatea Cooperating Parish
Susan
Steele
Auckland
Meryl
Strawbridge
Palmerston North
Todd & Caroline
Stretton
Auckland
Gina
Sunderland
Upper
Hutt
Riverstones Church
Trevor
Taylor
Westport
Tony
Thompson
Auckland
Lucy &
Chris
Thomson-Ryan
Jonathan &
Meredith
Thorpe
Nelson
Bill
Tissingh
Melda
Townsley
Wellington
Catholics United for the Faith
Sheryll
Turei
Te
Aroha
Christine
Turner
Daniel
Tustin
Bay of Plenty
Don
& Nancy
van Dorp
Andre
van
Heerden
Auckland
Robert
van
Wichen
Reformed Church of Bishopdale
Rob &
Janet
Vaughan
Arnoud
Vergunst
Carterton
John
Verhoeff
Sheldon
Vincent
Dargaville
Elodie
Vujcich
Kaikohe
John
Vujcich
Kaikohe
Kaikohe (Rau Marama) Community Trust
Joy
Wadham
Renee
Wall
Hamilton
Terence
Wallbank
Auckland
Nicola
Walsh
Tauranga
Joshua &
Frances
Wanhill
Dennis &
Norma
Walker
Northland
Chris
Watson
Wellington
Matthew
& Lin Li
Webster
Mike &
Anna
Webster
Auckland
Liz
Webster
Hamilton
Mark
Wells
Christchurch
Linda
Wheeler
Patrick
White
Neil
Whitehead
Lower Hutt
Geoff
Wiklund
Auckland
Daniel
Wilkes
Palmerston North
Rosa
Wilkes
Palmerston North
Philip
Wilson
Nelson
David
Wilson
Wainuiomata
Adele
Wi Repa
Hamilton
Peter
Wood
Lower Hutt
Graham
Workman
Mindy
Wu
Hamilton
Hayley
Yoon
Henderson
Andrew
Young
Auckland
Miri
Yun
Wellington
ENDS