Craig and Wall: gay marriage debate heats up

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Craig and Wall debate gay marriage

3News NZ

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig on TV3's The Nation programme this morning

Conservative Party leader Colin Craig on TV3's The Nation programme this morning

The heated debate over gay marriage isn't going away.

Labour Party MP Louisa Wall is leading the charge on a bill which would amend the Marriage Act, to define it as a union between two people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.

She debated the issue with the Conservative Party leader Colin Craig on TV3's The Nation programme this morning.

“Our Marriage Act doesn’t have a definition, which is why my bill is about defining it between two people, essentially who love each other,” she says. “The churches have a different definition. The Church’s definition is very different to the State’s definition.”

Mr Craig says the definition is one that has come through legal precedent.

Ms Wall says the opportunity to marry is a basic human right.

Watch the video for the full debate.

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Comments

14/09/2012 5:13:00 p.m.

Boyd wrote:

Can I also say that opposers who state gay marriage will diminish marital traditions fail to realise that economic factors have already changed the role marriage plays in society. Yes, it was tradition that marriage was between a man and a woman but with those traditions came specific gender roles. A man would go out and earn the bacon while a womans job was to cook, clean and raise the children. Nowadays, there are inventions that make cooking and cleaning much easier, but in this economic climate, it is imperative for most families to have both spouses working. And also with the feminist movement and the pill, woman have the freedom of choice in deciding the size of her family or whether she wants one in the first place, keeping in mind the cost of raising them. I feel if people don't want gay marriage and want to keep their traditions then they should realise the other aspects that go with them. Give up your new technologies, have only the husband work and ban the wife from birth control pills. That was the tradition after all.

12/09/2012 1:29:58 p.m.

Craig Young wrote:

Yes, but the United Kingdom is also debating these issues, and our fellow British Commonwealth member Canada has already legislated for it, Frank.

Granted, Australia is a little backward on these issues (as indeed it is with many other human rights issues)...

11/09/2012 6:51:09 p.m.

frank wrote:

LOUISA...wakey.....wakey I keep telling you.The international committee for human rights keeps telling you, there are no human rights issues involved in gay marriage ,the girl ? is in deep denial.A cold shower and a strong mug of coffee might be in order.

9/09/2012 5:39:43 p.m.

Boyd wrote:

Following on from Jerry Falwell he also stated that gays, pagans and abortionists had caused 9/11, and rather hillariously claimed that the Teletubbies were promoting homosexuality. I think it's best if we leave him and anything he said out of any debate.

5/09/2012 1:20:56 p.m.

Gary wrote:

@ SARAH marriage has changed many many times over the ages. You are right that the church nor legislators created marriage but this is about equality. Marriage gives you certain rights by the laws of the land so why should two people that want to marry be discriminated against when after all marraige is just a vow to spend the rest of your life with another person.

4/09/2012 4:57:21 p.m.

Sarah wrote:

Good on you Craig! for maintaining your composure and articulating very well your convictions and your reasons for them. Im not part of the 80% 18yr-30yr old demographic Louisa quoted. I believe in marriage as it exists and has existed since time immemorial - substances and accidents; no matter in what way you want to celebrate your marriage (under a tree, on the beach, in a church or on your roof) it does not change the substance of marriage, and that substance is built on the union of one man and one woman because of their natural and innate complementarity. The Church didn't create marriage, neither did legislators, marriage pre existed both of these - neither the Church nor the State has the right to redefine what it never invented in the first place.

4/09/2012 2:20:07 p.m.

Craig wrote:

Anne, why did you quote the late Jerry Falwell, who was the US televangelist who came up with that tired "Adam and Steve" cliche? And how can someone 'turn away' from a 'deity' that a declining proportion of New Zealanders actually believe even exists?

3/09/2012 1:24:15 p.m.

Czahn Armstrong wrote:

The only danger to marriage, are those that can...then get divorced.

3/09/2012 5:55:29 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

ANNE, we weren't born gay but who is the evil person behind the closed doors that molesting little boys? and are you suggesting that we should ignore their existence..

2/09/2012 11:15:14 p.m.

Ro wrote:

Dear Colin I recently watched your TV3 interview with Louisa Wall and just wanted to say thank you for your confidence and honesty in upholding the traditional values and understanding of marriage. You held and conveyed your views very well throughout the interview; putting forward a strong voice on the behalf of many New Zealanders I know that oppose Louise Wall's bill. All the very best in your work! Kia Kaha Ro