Swain Paul: Civil Union Bill — In Committee Procedure 
Swain Paul: Civil Union Bill — In Committee Procedure 
[Volume:622;Page:17530] 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 I do not usually speak in these conscience debates. I usually listen to the arguments and make my own mind up. But I do feel on an important issue such as this that a contribution is warranted. By definition I am pretty conservative on matters such as this. I was opposed to the lowering of the drinking age and voted against that. I am opposed to voluntary euthanasia which was also debated in this House. I voted against this bill as it was introduced primarily because I was opposed and am still opposed to anything that implies gay marriage. As I say I am still very strongly opposed to gay marriage. But I have looked into this matter quite a lot. I have done quite a lot of further study talked to a lot of people and come to the conclusion that this is not gay marriage. The Marriage Act has not been altered. Marriage is still between a man and a woman—a husband and a wife. Those terms are still available only to people in a marriage. So the Marriage Act has not changed and marriage has not changed and I would not be supporting this legislation if they had. Civil unions are about a public declaration and legal recognition of loving relationships. I support loving relationships whatever form those relationships take. Civil unions are nothing more than a public declaration and legal recognition of those loving relationships. 
There are claims that civil union undermines marriage and threatens the family. Well I think a lot of fear has been generated around that and I apply it to myself in my own situation. I say to people that really there is nothing to fear. I am married and I do not feel that civil unions threaten my marriage. I think that maybe a number of other things threaten marriage across the country but certainly civil unions do not. I have a family: two wonderful boys and now a lovely new daughter. I do not think that civil unions threaten my family. My family is not threatened and other families are not threatened so in my view there is really nothing to fear. 
I think that another thing that influenced me was the experience of watching the Destiny Church rally here. I was deeply concerned about men in black shirts standing in front of this Parliament. I was brought up as a Catholic—brought up as a Christian—and I was looking to see some kind of comparison between the Christianity I know and the Destiny Church. What I wanted to see in that demonstration was love. I saw hate in a lot of eyes. I wanted to see tolerance in those eyes but what I saw was intolerance. I wanted to see understanding but what I saw was ignorance. From a Christian perspective we need to see more love tolerance and understanding which in my view are some of the principles that underline this legislation. 
In conclusion this has been quite a difficult decision for me to make. I have gone into this legislation in some depth. I spent a lot of time talking to people and I did a lot of reading. I read the report which I thought was a good report and I sat on the Justice and Electoral Committee for a very short period of time and heard the arguments for and against the bill. In summary civil unions are not marriage; they are not gay marriage. I need to indicate that if there had been changes to the Marriage Act I would have opposed that. If such legislation comes before Parliament I would oppose it and I make that point quite clear. I do feel though that this issue is about loving relationships and about people in loving relationships wanting to declare those publicly and to legally notify them and I do not see anything wrong with that. This legislation does not threaten my family nor does it undermine my marriage. I think that things have been whipped up by some people and that fear has been created around this bill so I ask people how the passage of this legislation will undermine their marriage or threaten their family. I do not feel that—I do not feel threatened or undermined as a result of this legislation. What I am very keen to tell the people who are in loving supportive respectful relationships and who want to go through some sort of ceremony where there is some kind of public and legal recognition as a result of that that it is fine by me. I support the bill.