NZ First leader Winston Peters Family First has made marriage equality one of the eight issues it has judged politicians on in 2012, with New Zealand First coming out on top in its rankings. In the overall ratings for political parties on eight issues it picked, NZ First scored highest with 88 per cent. The party bloc-voted against the first reading of the marriage equality bill because its leader Winston Peters wants a referendum. NZ First was followed by Labour on 77 per cent, the Maori party on 67 per cent, United Future 62 per cent, National 61 per cent, ACT 50 per cent, Greens 38 per cent and the Mana Party on 25 per cent. The issues included reducing the harms of gambling, improving the child support scheme, increasing paid parental leave, banning street prostitution, raising the drinking age, marriage equality, Easter trading, and toughening bail laws to protect families from repeat violent offenders. In the rankings for individual MPs, conservative and anti-marriage equality Labour MPs Damien O’Connor and Su’a William Sio both scored 100. Hone Harawira from Mana scored the lowest on 25 per cent. Prime Minister John Key scored the lowest of all National MPs with just 37.5 per cent. “Perhaps what is most surprising is how poorly the so-called conservative parties and politicians (National, ACT, United Future) have done in promoting moral and family issues such as supporting young families, protecting marriage and promoting sensible and safe alcohol laws,” says Bob McCoskrie says in an accompanying release.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 4th January 2013 - 12:14pm