Don’t Change Marriage, says Craig

Speaking on TVNZ’s Q & A programme this morning Conservative Party Leader Colin Craig said Marriage should remain as being between a man and a woman.

“This is a debate about whether we as country will have respect for the many people who consider marriage to be between a man and a woman” says Mr Craig.

“It’s not about equality or rights. The Civil Unions Act (2004), followed by The Relationships Act (2008), changed over 160 pieces of legislation to ensure that homosexuals and de-facto couples are not being discriminated against.”

“This debate is purely and simply about who can use the word marriage” Mr Craig says.

“There are many interested parties in this debate. Traditional marriage between a man and a woman has significance culturally, historically, religiously and morally for many New Zealanders.”

“The institution of marriage pre-dates government, and so government should not re-define it” he says.

In response to a recent poll showing public support for gay marriage, Colin Craig points out: “Poll results vary depending on the question asked. Similar poll results have been obtained in the USA, but every time it has gone to referenda, people have chosen to retain marriage in its traditional form. We're not talking about a few occurrences, but 32 referendums, all with the same result.”

“I am certain we would see the same result here if we were to take this issue to referenda” Mr Craig says.

“This issue is far too important to leave in the hands of politicians who have proven they are out of step with what the public want. Previous referenda have made this very clear and this is why the Conservative Party supports binding referenda.”

“Social liberal activists have achieved substantial change in this country against the wishes of the people. They have done this because politicians have not represented their electorates, and people have no way to overrule misrepresentation.”

“It’s also important to add,” says Mr Craig that “these social liberal activists do not speak on behalf of all homosexuals. There are many homosexuals who do respect that traditional marriage has special meaning and significance, and they are not trying to reinvent the meaning of the word, nor take away that which is very important to their fellow New Zealanders.”

“When William Webb-Ellis picked up a soccer ball and ran with it, he did not demand that the rules of soccer change. Instead, a new code started, known as rugby. He showed the sort of respect that social liberal activists need to show here. Men and women are different, and a partnership between a man and a woman is different to a homosexual partnership. Different things have different names, and that’s the way it should remain.”

“Traditional Marriage has served our country and many generations of New Zealanders well. It’s not time to reinvent the wheel. It’s not time to further undermine the institutions that are the pillars of our society, its stability, and its success. It might be trendy to go around knocking down the pillars holding up the roof under which we live, but ultimately it’s destructive to us all.”

On the issue of gay adoption, Mr Craig says “I support the existing law, which focuses entirely on the best interests of the child. Again, this is not about adults rights; it’s about the best outcomes for the child. Adoption is a rare chance for the state to create an ideal family. In my opinion a child’s best interests are served by having both a Mum and a Dad who are married.”

There are very few ‘stranger adoptions’ in this country anyway, and a long waiting list of couples who would make great Mums and Dads. There is no need to change the existing law.

ENDS