King Colin: Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
King Colin: Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 27 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:9048. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 It is with great consideration that I take this call. We have got a bill the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill in front of us that does not sit comfortably with me but I guess that we have all been on select committees from time to time where we have had a view about a bill that gets the majority vote and goes forward. 
I just want to grab this opportunity to support those people who have put forward Supplementary Order Papers because in the context of it all when you look at the bill as it stands it certainly does not provide me with sufficient comfort that the principles and values that the individual may hold are taken into adequate consideration. When we look at clause 5A in the bill where it applies to section 29 being amended subclause 2 talks about: “Without limiting the generality of subsection (1) no celebrant who is a minister of religion …” and then it goes on and talks about approved organisations and there has been no doubt some work given and thought applied to that particular provision. It stands comfortably with me that we need to clarify that so that there is a level of certainty that the individual’s view—and I as an MP can think of many people out there whom we have all supported to become a celebrant and yet they are not actually associated with any authorised organisation as it says or a church. On that basis I think it is very important that members of the Committee as we go forward on a very serious matter that involves a whole lot of ramifications do look at those Supplementary Order Papers that have been tabled and consider whether we support those Supplementary Order Papers. 
My particular situation is that I have chosen to support a Supplementary Order Paper that has been put forward by Tim Macindoe and it encapsulates I believe the most essential elements that would add value to the bill. I do acknowledge William Sio over there as well. It is heartening to those of us who find the bill somewhat challenging to see that when it does actually go through it will give clarity and certainty to those people who have to administer it in one shape or form. I acknowledge those other speakers especially Chester Borrows who talked about giving those people a good solid platform on which they can if approached by people of the same sex who want to be married actually decline gracefully because we appreciate that there are elements of society that need to be considered in such ways. 
When we look at the actual preamble to the bill it talks about the level of people who are actually married at registry offices—it talks about 23 percent; and that 32 percent are married in churches or organisations and 45 percent by individual celebrants. On that basis I would urge the Committee to seriously consider the Supplementary Order Papers that have been put forward with a view to adding special clarification to the individual’s right to say whether they will or will not marry people of the same sex. Thank you.