Same-sex marriage in New Zealand

[1] It entered into force on 19 August, to allow time for the Department of Internal Affairs to make the necessary changes for marriage licensing and related documentation.[11] During the 2005 election, Prime Minister Helen Clark said she thought it was discriminatory to exclude same-sex couples from the Marriage Act 1955, but said her government would not change the law due to public opinion.This was criticised by opponents, including Attorney General Michael Cullen, as an overly "radical" attack on the Bill of Rights.[20][21] Despite being one of six openly gay MPs, Attorney-General Chris Finlayson voted against the bill, declaring his opposition to state involvement in the institution of marriage as the reason.[22] Supporters in the galleries greeted the bill's passage with applause and sang the traditional Māori love song "Pōkarekare Ana", with many MPs joining in.[30] Among the first couples to marry were Natasha Vitali and Melissa Ray in Auckland, who had won a competition on a radio show for an all-expenses paid ceremony.Lynley Bendall and Ally Wanikau were married in an Air New Zealand flight between Auckland and Queenstown in a ceremony attended by U.S. actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson.In 2014, the synod of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia passed a resolution creating a pathway towards the blessing of same-sex relationships.[45] In the meantime, "clergy should be permitted 'to recognise in public worship' a same-gender civil union or state marriage of members of their faith community.[60] In October 2020, Bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn expressed support for civil unions: "I endorse the reported comments of Pope Francis.LGBTQ groups attributed this increase to "scaremongering", while opponents claimed that "people [were] waking up to the negative social effects of changing the Marriage Act".[82] During the last fortnight before the third reading debate, several conservative Christian organisations held "prayer rallies" in Auckland and Wellington (including outside the Beehive), against the enactment of same-sex marriage.[83] Anika Moa, who came out as a lesbian in 2007, was planning a free concert in Christchurch for the night of the third reading of the bill to "celebrate a historic milestone for same-sex couples".[88] No other New Zealand political party has shown any inclination to revisit the issue; however, Family First continues to operate its "Protect Marriage NZ" website.