Brown Peter: Civil Union Bill — In Committee Procedure 
Brown Peter: Civil Union Bill — In Committee Procedure 
[Volume:622;Page:17538] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I am pleased to be taking a call because I am delighted to follow Deborah Coddington. With due respect to her I say that she has flip-flopped a bit but she qualified her outlook on this bill right at the end when she said she would support a public referendum. That is exactly my position and exactly the position of all my New Zealand First colleagues. 
This bill causes me quite some discomfort. I cannot vote for this bill and push it through knowing that significant numbers of New Zealanders oppose it and oppose it for very good reasons. This bill it is alleged undermines the social fabric of this country. I tend to support that view. Maybe I am in the same category as my colleague Dail Jones who described himself as a conservative redneck. I would not describe myself as that but I feel quite uncomfortable about this bill. 
There has been much discussion coming from MPs about their personal experiences. Those experiences have all been very interesting but with all due respect they are irrelevant to this bill. Some say that this legislation will not undermine their marriages. They might well be correct. Some say it will not undermine the institution of marriage. I would challenge that view. I believe it does undermine the institution of marriage in as much as it gives another choice a cheaper choice that weakens the institution of marriage—and the word “weaken” is in the definition of the word “undermine”. 
Let me talk about individuals. I think that even my colleague Brian Donnelly said he could not see that this bill would have any effect on his daughter who is getting married very soon. That idea does not occur to him one iota. Well the bill might affect her. He does not know. How do I know that when I walk home one night my wife will not say: “I’m sick of this marriage. You’re always down in Wellington. I want a civil union.” How do I know she will not? [ 
Interruption 
] I know that because I have known her for many years. 
Lianne Dalziel 
: Just ask her for goodness’ sake! 
PETER BROWN 
: The member puts her nose in the air. I can tell her that there will be New Zealanders who will walk home one night and find their marriages will be ended and their partners will want civil unions as a result of this bill. If that is not going to be the case why should we put the clause in here? Members know that that will occur. Why should we put the clause in otherwise? 
This legislation is a significant change to the structure the fabric of New Zealand society. I listened very carefully to the honourable member over there and he made some very good points. He was wrong on some occasions but he made some very good points. Yet I believe that this bill will change society and many New Zealanders believe that. 
We have been told by Government members how great New Zealanders are how fair they are how tolerant they are and how understanding they are. I agree with that 100 percent. New Zealanders are very tolerant fair and objective. So New Zealand First says and I say that we should put this issue to the public. We have heard Government members saying that the public supports the bill holus-bolus. Well let them have their opportunity. It is neither fair nor reasonable and nor does it show tolerance to say that 120 of us know better than the 2.5 million of the voting public out there. That is not fair that is not tolerant and that does not show understanding. This is the sort of legislation that should go to the public for a binding referendum. 
I say to Government members that if the amendment in the name of my colleague the Hon Brian Donnelly is agreed to they might find that 13 New Zealand First members vote for the bill. They might find that we are 100 percent behind the bill if it is allowed to go to the public for a referendum. 
This bill will affect marriage in the negative and it will affect people’s attitude to marriage. I am a little bit old-fashioned. I know members over there cannot tell that from where they are sitting. 
Darren Hughes 
: The member’s dress sense gives it away. 
PETER BROWN 
: The member has woken up! If I had my way I would put marriage on a pedestal because it is a commitment between a man and a woman based around creating enhancing and developing a family and that is something really special. But we have downgraded it bit by bit and this legislation will downgrade it even further. I am sad that the bill is going through in the way it is.