MPs on the Select Committee into the Civil Unions Bill are expressing surprise that Destiny Church appears not to be making a submission on the Bill it publicly despises. Gay Labour MP Tim Barnett and Act MP Stephen Franks, both of whom are on the committee currently travelling the country hearing submissions, say Destiny has not taken this opportunity to address the particulars of the Bill. The entire focus of yesterday's controversial rally was denying equal rights to gay relationships through the proposed Civil Unions legislation. "It seems they are more interested in making a loud noise," says Barnett, observing that Destiny chose to have its fundamentalist blackshirt rally at Parliament on a Monday when Parliament doesn't sit and MPs are mostly out of Wellington on electorate business. "I don't think the rally will have a major effect on MPs decisions on how to vote when the Bill returns to the House," says Barnett, "it might even help those who oppose the Bill understand the sort of minority attitudes a no vote would be validating."
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 24th August 2004 - 12:00pm