Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Dunne Peter: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:618;Page:13919] 
6.  
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Justice 
: Does he intend to proceed with the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill if the Civil Union Bill fails to progress through all of its legislative stages? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Associate Minister of Justice) 
: 
 I am confident that the Civil Union Bill will progress through all of its legislative stages and will be enacted into law. The Government sees these two bills as being very much interrelated and progressing in tandem. The member’s question is rather premature. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do not normally take points of order in relation to ministerial answers to questions but I asked a very straightforward question—that is given that the Minister said that these are tandem measures will one proceed without the other? It is not a speculative question; it is a simple question of fact that the Minister should be able to give an answer to. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thought the last words he said were that he thought that any suggestion of that was premature. That certainly addressed the question. I listened to the first part of the answer but when he came to the second part I thought he addressed the question. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Can the Minister confirm the advice that I have received from the Deputy Prime Minister that if the Civil Union Bill does not proceed then the second bill will have to be withdrawn and rewritten; if he can confirm that advice why did he not say so in response to the first question? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am not aware of that advice but I would say that if the Civil Union Bill did not pass through its discussions and stages many couples would be deprived of the right to have their relationships solemnised and registered under the law. 
Peter Brown 
: Does the Minister acknowledge that both these bills are contentious and if he does will he consider making a binding referendum mandatory so that all New Zealanders can decide whether they want this type of legislation; if not why not? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Yes no and that is the reason for the public select committee process. 
Lianne Dalziel 
: Has the Minister seen reports suggesting that the Civil Union Bill will enhance marriage; if so what do they say? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Yes. Today’s  
Otago Daily Times 
 editorial describes well how this bill will operate in reality. It states: “The Civil Union Bill seeks not to destroy Christian marriage or lower the status of heterosexual unions. In fact it could be argued that it will reinforce the status of heterosexual marriage because the Marriage Act will remain as an option only available to heterosexual couples.” The author goes on to state: “It does not alter or diminish the special nature of legal marriage that distinguishes it from other sexual and lasting relationships while at the same time it acknowledges longstanding societal realities that couples do live together that children are sometimes born outside marriage—”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is enough. The Minister will please be seated. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: In the light of that answer will the Minister therefore confirm his comments to Paul Holmes this morning in response to a question: “So therefore it’s a parallel marriage isn’t it?” to which the answer was: “Well it’s a system parallel to marriage.” and if he will confirm those comments how then can he say as he said in response to other interviewers that the two situations are quite different? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: There is no inconsistency or contradiction between the two statements. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: If the Civil Union Bill is defeated is it not a fact that the provisions of the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill relating to the right to inherit next-of-kin status issues such as burial in common plots etc. would in the event that that bill is passed be available to couples who are not married and in that case would render the whole notion of a civil union redundant? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: No.