Media ID 0231-A |
Parliamentary Committee Stages (20 November 1985) of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill
Unique ID | 1125551515-85 | ||||||||||||||||||
Speakers | Don McKinnon, Fran Wilde, Geoff Braybrooke, Geoffrey Palmer, George Gair, Graeme Lee, John Banks, Richard Prebble, Venn Young, Winston Peters | ||||||||||||||||||
Related media | 0231-B | ||||||||||||||||||
Details |
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Comments | Committee Stages span 0231 – 0238 | ||||||||||||||||||
Disclaimer | This summary gives general themes as to the content of this recording. It is not a verbatim transcript. Always refer back to the original audio. This is a working document and any amendments/corrections are welcome. |
| Parliamentary debate over whether the Homosexual Law Reform Bill should be considered part-by-part or clause-by-clause. |
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01:10 | Graeme Lee – I move that we consider the Bill part-by-part |
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01:45 | Fran Wilde – We have reached an agreement on this |
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02:20 | Don McKinnon – This should be debated.. |
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04:10 | Speaker |
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05:45 | Geoffrey Palmer – Parliamentary procedures |
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08:40 | Venn Young – I would need to have a clearer idea as to why we should be restricted on the debate of this Bill.. danger of short-cutting Members.. |
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11:10 | George Gair – the proposer needs to explain how the sequence of amendments would come before the House.. age-of-consent example.. |
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13:50 | Winston Peters – clauses should be debated clause-by-clause.. |
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15:50 | Graeme Lee – I introduced the motion because clause five is the important benchmark clause.. |
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18:00 | Speaker .. vote.. division called for.. |
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18:30 | [General atmosphere in Chamber] |
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19:10 | Speaker.. the motion will be agreed to.. I declare the House in Committee on the Homosexual Reform Bill.. the Committee will deal with the Bill by parts |
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20:00 | [General atmosphere in Chamber, quieter] |
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21:24 | John Banks - how do you propose the three calls for each speaker |
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22:00 | Chairman |
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| Committee Stages, debate begins |
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23:20 | Geoff Braybrooke – this Bill has divided New Zealand.. resentment.. anger.. disgust.. My conduct has not been perfect.. but nobody had a mandate to introduce this Bill out of the blue.. it wasn’t discussed at the last election.. we need a Royal Commission of Enquiry.. I formally move the amendment.. national referendum.. this will not go away.. there will be repeal Bills brought into the House.. the Royal Commission should have the widest possible reference.. travel overseas.. AIDS.. |
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28:50 | Venn Young – I do not believe the course set out by Geoff Braybrooke is a solution.. my judgement on this Bill tells me that I should support the amendment to decriminalise adult homosexual acts in private.. A person is an adult when they reach the age of twenty.. I will oppose Part Two of the Bill.. |
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32:40 | Graeme Lee – repugnant Bill.. it is the most obnoxious Bill.. been uniquely prepared for this time.. it is the most progressive of its time.. the Bill is not amendable.. it can only be thrown out.. threat to public health, family life, risk to the individual.. longest second reading in Parliament |
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34:50 | Trevor Mallard – point of order.. is this speech on general principal or on the specifics of the Bill |
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35:00 | Chairman ruling |
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37:50 | Lee – I could support a Royal Commission of Enquiry.. Wolfenden Report in Britain.. AIDS.. this Bill should not become law when that disease is about to strike the country.. gross move from sanity when there is an overt threat to this nation through AIDS.. |
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40:20 | Richard Prebble – I do not support the sending of people to jail for consenting acts between people in private.. If we fail to amend the law we will be sending a clear signal to the Courts that this Parliament supports sending people to jail for homosexual acts.. I support the general thrust of the Bill.. age-of-consent.. why did Parliament decide on the age of sixteen for girls?.. I don’t support lifting the age because there is a limit to the protection the law can grant to people.. sixteen should be the age.. |
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44:10 | Prebble - Part Two .. Auckland Central is a very tolerant electorate.. capital of homosexuality in New Zealand .. I have never had a complaint about discrimination against homosexuals |
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45:20 | John Banks – point of order.. Richard Prebble should be able to take a second call and carry on.. |
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46:30 | Chairman ruling |
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46:55 | Prebble - I have never had a complaint about discrimination against homosexuals.. [continues on 0231-B] |
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