Wilson Margaret: Civil Union Bill — First Reading 
Wilson Margaret: Civil Union Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:13949] 
Hon MARGARET WILSON (Associate Minister of Justice) 
: 
 Listening to the arguments in the House today certainly reminds one that this really is the House of Representatives. It also reminds one that we are capable of conducting a debate of substance on matters of importance. This is a House in which all citizens are to be represented. The bills that are before the House this afternoon—the Civil Union Bill and the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill—are an important step in giving full legal recognition and thus full citizenship rights to a sector in our community that has experienced harassment and discrimination for far too long: the gay and lesbian community. Since 1993 the Human Rights Act has recognised that family status marital status and sexual orientation were grounds of discrimination. That placed an obligation on this House and on the Government to reform the law in order to remove discrimination on those grounds which are unjustifiable in terms of section 5 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. This Civil Union Bill is part of the fulfilment of that obligation. The Relationships (Statutory References) Bill is the other part of that fulfilment. 
What does the Civil Union Bill do? The purpose clause states that it enables two people to formalise their relationship by entering into a civil union. That means any two people who are not already married can publicly and formally affirm their commitment to each other. I support this bill because I believe every citizen has the right to express his or her commitment to another person in a formal and public way. I also respect those who want to express that commitment in the form of a marriage as defined in the Marriage Act. I do not however believe that respect for marriage should prevent those who do not choose to marry or who are legally barred from marrying because of their sexual orientation from expressing their commitment to each other publicly. The question for the House is how to respect the rights of all citizens to formally make that commitment without causing harm or detriment to others. The Civil Union Bill lying alongside as it does the Marriage Act provides the legal way in which all citizens can affirm their commitment to each other. It is the inclusive way to address a real heartfelt need of those people who have for too long been excluded from formalising publicly their commitment to one other. 
Opponents of the bill ask what the difference is between this legislation and the Marriage Act. The difference is obvious: the Marriage Act applies only to heterosexual couples. The opponents of the Civil Union Bill feel strongly that that should remain so. The Government respects that view which is why there is no proposal to change that Act. Respect for the view of those New Zealanders who want to keep marriage as defined in the Marriage Act should not however be used to prevent gay and lesbian couples and heterosexual couples who choose to do so from being able to make their own public formal commitment to each other. The Civil Union Bill is about this House being a place all people can come to for just laws. It is the only place in fact to which people can come. Gay and lesbian couples have been to the courts and to the international institutions. They have been told to come to this House. 
The Civil Union Bill is an expression of how we as a House of Parliament can through the advocacy of representatives in this House enact just laws. When the argument and plea is made for laws that will recognise and promote loving relationships this House is under an obligation to listen and to act in a way that enables the best of human aspirations love and commitment to be supported and promoted. That is why I support this bill.