Just over five years ago, New Zealand politicians voted 77-44 to legalise gay marriage, making this country the 13th in the world to do so. Of the 44 politicians who voted against the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013.

Of the 22 politicians still in Parliament who voted ‘no' five years ago, 17 are National Party MPs, three are Labour Party representatives and two are from NZFirst. Continue reading

Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages Jeff Montgomery said it was important to distinguish between organised celebrants and independent celebrants. Continue reading

She told the BuzzFeed political podcast Is It On? she is perplexed by the prominent role of the Catholic Church and its leaders in Australia's same-gender marriage survey.

"I can't understand why they haven't been told not to lead the 'no' campaign," Wall said.

"They don't have any moral authority."

"How can it, as an institution which has actively covered up the sexual abuse of children for over 70 years?"

Wall was surprised more Australians hadn't told the Catholic Church to refrain from getting involved in the same-sex marriage debate.

"I wish you'd talk about it and say to them, 'If you want to be a moral crusader, why don't you eliminate child sexual abuse? And be a leader in that?'" she said.

"Not against human rights, and especially in a process where young Australians are being so adversely affected."

"I find it absolutely appalling that they've come out and been so vigorous in their opposition."

Three Catholic archdioceses — Sydney, Hobart, and Broken Bay — are listed as official partners with the Coalition for Marriage.

Last month, Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart wrote an open letter to Catholics urging a "no" vote and asking them to consider the consequences of legalising same-sex marriage. A similar directive was issued by the Archbishop of Perth, Timothy Costelloe.

Wall authored the same-sex marriage bill that was passed into law by the New Zealand parliament in 2013.

Listen to a discussion on RNZ's the Panel.

Source

• Buzzfeed
• RNZ
• Image: The Guardian

A supporter of same-gender marriage, Turnbull defended the right of a church to refuse to marry a young couple who had posted support for same-sex unions on social media.

He was speaking after a Presbyterian minister had told a young couple in their 20s that they would not be allowed to hold their ceremony at the church after the bride posted a message on Facebook supporting same-gender marriage.

Pressed on whether the couple were being penalised for doing what he had encouraged them to do he said: "Churches are entitled to marry or not marry whom they please. That is part of religious freedom."

Australia is in the midst of a non-compulsory, non-binding survey to inform Parliament whether or not it should legalise same-gender marriage.

Labour leader Bill Shorten has also issued a promise to voters, saying he had been "raised to be a person of faith" and would make sure their concerns would be treated with respect.

"Labour will not support legislation which ­impinges upon religious freedom in this country," he said.

But former liberal party prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott have called for the government to outline protections for religious freedoms before the postal vote.

"Freedom of conscience should not be an afterthought from people who claim they support freedom," Abbott said.

A number of church leaders and legal scholars have also joined in the call for the government to outline protections for religious freedoms ahead of the vote.

Advocates for change have drafted a bill that confirms the rights of ministers of religion to refuse to solemnise a same-gender marriage as well as the rights of ­religious organisations to refuse to provide services for wedding functions that breach their faith.

The lead proponent of this bill, Liberal senator Dean Smith, said those who considered these safeguards ­inadequate should offer "detailed legislative remedies" to address the issue.

Source

• Channel News Asia
• Straits Times
• The Australian
• MSN
• Image: MSN

In their interim report, the working group recommends that there should be "no alteration to the formularies of this Church" and that dioceses and bishops should be allowed "to authorise individual clergy within their ministry units to conduct services blessing same gender relationships." Continue reading

He believes what drives constructive social behaviour "is our families, our iwi, our churches, our communities."

English was the guest at Family First's 10th annual "Forum on the Family" in Auckland on Friday.

A number of speakers addressed the forum and Family First National Director Bob McCoskrie interviewed English.

The Labour leader Andrew Little declined numerous invitations to attend.

Newshub summarised the opinions English expressed in the course of the interview:

Abortion - against the practice but not seeking a change in the law. English said he accepts the majority of New Zealanders aren't on side with his views on abortion.

Euthanasia - opposes any form of euthanasia. He said there are no safeguards that could be proposed that would change his views on euthanasia, "I don't think you could make them adequate".

Gay marriage - doesn't oppose it but when asked if his own personal definition for the word marriage was between "one man and one woman", he said, "Well that's my definition of it".

He went on to explain that he was married in the Catholic Church, and his views reflected those Catholic beliefs.

Pornography - has no interest or tolerance in porn whatsoever
English said it's a challenging issue for police, "You couldn't just 'ban it'".

He told the audience it's not necessarily an issue for the Government to sort out.

Source

• Newshub
• Family First
• Image: Stuff Family First

In response to a request by Family First NZ to the Department of Internal Affairs under the Official Information Act, 22 potential marriage celebrants have had their applications declined just in the last year because they have stated that they don't want to officiate at same-sex weddings due to personal conviction. Continue reading

Mr 'Akilisi Pohiva said local women's groups would again be asked to carry out public consultations.

Tonga has been preparing to ratify the convention since 2015. Last year Pohiva said the Government was stepping back from ratification after opponents protested that it could open the way for same-sex marriage and abortion.

"We made it clear that some of the clauses in regards to CEDAW are well taken by government and there are a few we do not think that they are appropriate," Pohiva said.

"We cannot apply this provision in the case of Tonga. That is why we thought the most appropriate action to be taken is to send them back for review and for discussion."

In May 2016 the Catholic Women's League presented a petition to parliament.

Lady ‘Ainise Sevele, the Assistant President of Tonga's Catholic Women's League with the Vicar-General Monsignor Lutoviko Finau and other church members led the march of about 300 people.

At the time Lady Sevele said the petition had more than 2000 signatories, calling for the Government of Tonga not to ratify the United Nation's CEDAW convention for women.

The main reasons for their opposition is that they believe the convention, which seeks to eliminate discrimination against women, clashes with their Christian faith and does not concur with the fundamental values of Tonga's family life.

Tonga is one of only six UN members which haven't ratified CEDAW, including Iran, Sudan, Somalia and the USA.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• matangitonga.to
• Image: radionz.co.nz

Speakers talked about ways of accepting members of the LGBITQ community.

Reverend Anil Reuben of the Methodist Church said many people in same gender marriage had slowly dropped out of the church.

"You can be a member of a church and your name could be removed from the membership roll, but you can never send anyone out of the church.

"Somewhere along the line, somebody picks them up and with repentance and confession, these people come up to the Lord again. Remember we worship a forgiving God," Reuben said.

One person who said children should be stopped from dressing like the opposite sex because it could lead to homosexuality was stopped and publicly rebuked.

Interfaith Search Fiji is made up of members from members of from Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at-e-Islam (Lahore); Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Fiji; Anglican Diocese of Polynesia; Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji; Baha'i Faith; Brahma Kumaris; Community of Christ Church; Fiji Hindu Society; Fiji Muslim League; Methodist Church in Fiji; Catholic Church; Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church; Sathya Sai Organisation; Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji; Sikh Association of Fiji; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and the Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam.

Interfaith Search Fiji is an organisation that came into existence as a direct result of the political upheavals after a military led Coup d'etat in 1987.

There were ethnic and religious under currents in the coup.

The Columban Inter-religious Dialogue website says , Interfaith Search Fiji, meets on every 10th day of the month.

Groups take turns hosting the meeting. At each meeting, they agree upon a theme to be discussed in the next meeting.

Using their respective sacred scriptures, they try to briefly explain their understanding of the theme.

This is then shared in the next meeting.

A summary is sent out after the meeting to every participant.

Source

• columbanird.org
• fijitimes.com
• Image: interfaithsearchfiji.wordpress.com

He is the first Catholic vice president of the United States.

Biden is more comfortable than most politicians in talking about how his Catholicism has affected his life and his views.

In his campaign book in 2008 Biden wrote, "My idea of self, of family, of community, of the wider world comes straight from my religion."

He says his beliefs are very important to him and have helped get him through the toughest tragedies, including the tragic death of his first wife and daughter, and the death many years late of his son Beau.

On a recent visit to Ireland he attended Sunday morning Mass at St Peter's Church, Phibsborough.

Last year, Biden had Air Force Two touchdown in Shannon Airport for a stopover en route to Washington after visiting Ukraine.

The vice president had requested a Mass be held in the airport chapel on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation.

He carries rosary beads everywhere he goes (and loses them often, but replaces them).

In 2012 Biden told the National Review that he had been a practicing Catholic his whole life. "And it has particularly informed my social doctrine. Catholic social doctrine talks about taking care of those who — who can't take care of themselves, people who need help."

He added that he did not believe in imposing his views on others or using laws to force people of different faiths to conform to his own beliefs.

Biden began his political career as a pro-life Democrat but like many other Catholic Democrats, including Ted Kennedy and Ed Muskie, he changed his mind after Roe v. Wade. "Well, I was 29 years old when I came to the US Senate, and I have learned a lot," Biden said, explaining his switch.

"Look, I'm a practicing Catholic, and it is the biggest dilemma for me in terms of comporting my religious and cultural views with my political responsibility."

Biden became the highest-ranking government official to endorse same-sex marriage in 2012 during an appearance on "Meet the Press"

He has never had a drink of alcohol in his life due to alcoholism running in his family.

Source

• heavy.com
• irishcatholic.ie
• newshub.co.nz
• americamagazine.org
• Image: nzherald.co.nz

The report upheld the "traditional doctrine of marriage", which defined marriage as being "between a man and a woman ... life-long and monogamous".

However it proposed a compromise solution which would allow the blessing of same gender couples who are already civilly married.

While both Tikanga Maori and Tikanga Polynesian agreed they could adopt provisions of the A Way Forward report, the seven New Zealand dioceses asked for more time to address misgivings about the two services of blessing posed.

The Synod moved into conference mode, and requested space to operate with only members and those with speaking rights present.

After the discussion, the Synod appointed a new working group to draft an alternate response to the A Way Forward report.

It consisted of seven members - two from each tikanga and a legal adviser.

This working party presented its proposal on Wednesday.

Agreement could still not be reached.

And so the report "lies on the table" with the Synod coming back to it after further work in two years time.

Church spokesman Rev Jayson Rhodes said the synod decided that "it needs more work and time to create a structure that can allow for blessing of committed life-long monogamous same-sex relationships".

"The synod has asked for a working group to ensure there is a structure that can safeguard different views concerning the blessing of same-gender relationships, and that will be considered in two years' time at the next General Synod," he said.

The the original working group said that the proposed new rites of blessing are "additional formularies" rather than doctrinal changes.

"It is the view of the majority of the group that the proposed liturgies do not represent a departure from the Doctrine and Sacraments of Christ, and are therefore not prohibited by [the Church's constitution]"

The proposal was modelled on what happened in France, where "everybody gets married in the town hall and comes to church the next day".

On Monday, Bishop Jim White, who was part of the working group, told the Synod that blessings would require the legal union to take place elsewhere at an earlier time, then the couple themselves would be blessed by the Church, not their marriage.

This provided an opportunity for blessings but kept the Church's understanding of marriage intact.

Some church members think the proposed blessing ceremonies looked too much like a marriage, he said.

Others have criticised the report saying it creates a second class ceremony for same gender couples.

Bishop Kito Pikaahu, also one of the report writers, said different groups inside the Church must learn to be tolerant, particularly when disagreeing with others.

Other working group members said the report was designed to spark discussion and was not a final solution.

They said there was not unanimous agreement within the working group and the report offered recommendations to be debated.

Prior to the presentation of the report two dioceses had already intervened.

The Christchurch Diocesan Synod proposed a motion that states that the General Synod "does not adopt any recommendations without first referring the report to the Synods . . . of this Church for discussion, and resources a significant period of education, discussion and discernment throughout this Church."

The Nelson Diocesan Synod have tabled a motion calling for "at least four years of intentional theological reflection, education and discussion across our Church on the substance and impact of the [proposed changes]."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• radionz.co.nz
• episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
• nzherald.co.nz
• www.gaynz.com
• Image: anglicantaonga.org.nz

In a press conference last week he said that it was not currently an issue and there is no need to deal with it until it becomes one.

His comments come in response to a United Nations campaign calling for action on homophobia and transphobia in the Pacific Islands.

Puna says the Cook Islands shouldn't just follow what the UN or the international community is doing.

"We have our own community here, and we need to be guided by our own people as to what we want to do in response to those pressures."

Online comment from local and expatriate Cook Islanders have been both critical and supportive of Puna's stance.

The Cook Islands is one of eight Pacific nations, and one of 77 countries, where it is illegal to engage in any sexual activity with a person of the same sex.

Source

• cookislandsnews.com
• Image: radionz.org.nz

American Samoa Attorney General Talauega Eleasalo Ale hasn't been ready to take that step.

"We're still reviewing the decision to determine its applicability to American Samoa, and I have no specific comments at this time," he said.

Asked if same-sex marriage is legal in the territory, Ale said, "I don't know. We're reviewing the law."

• "It should be unquestioned," said Rose Cuison Villazor, a professor at University of California, Davis' law school and an expert on territorial law. "The Supreme Court's decision was pretty strong."
• For gay marriage to be recognized in American Samoa, there needs to be a voluntary decision or litigation, said Chimene Keitner, an expert on territorial status issues at University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
• U.S. territories have some self-governance rights. The right to marry, however, isn't a question of self-governance, said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, staff attorney for national gay rights group Lambda Legal. "This is a question of individual right, individual liberty," he said.

Christian churches with conservative social views dominate in American Samoa, home to about 50,000.

The government's motto is "Samoa, Let God Be First."

The territory has a tradition of embracing faafafine - males who are raised as females and take on feminine traits.

There are many faafafine who aren't supportive of gay marriage out of "respect for our Samoan culture and religious beliefs," said well-known faafafine Princess Auvaa.

Auvaa said she wants gay marriage to be legal in American Samoa. If it's determined that it is, she said, "I would be the first person to apply for a marriage license - if I had a boyfriend who would agree to marriage."

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• Image: aleteia.org

On 30 June Justice Collins ruled that Family First New Zealand's advocacy of the traditional family makes it similar to "organisations that have advocated for the ‘mental and moral improvement' of society" - that is, one of the classic types of charitable activity.

Family First was granted charitable status by the then Charities Commission in May 2007.

It was served a notice of deregistration by the Charities Board, which replaced the commission during the run-up to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in April 2013.

The Charities Board confirmed its decision to deregister Family First two days before the gay marriage law was passed.

Family First believes the juxtaposition of events makes it clear that their public campaign to preserve traditional marriage was the deciding factor in the Board's decision.

The decision from the High Court allows an appeal by Family First New Zealand against its deregistration, and orders the Charities Board to reconsider its move against the group.

It follows a similar appeal won by Greenpeace NZ last August after the Charities Board ruled its purposes, like those of the family advocates, primarily "political" rather than "charitable".

However, a majority of the Supreme Court in the Greenpeace case ruled that an organisation with charitable purposes could also have political purposes, depending on the objectives being advocated and the means used to promote those objectives.

Family First New Zealand's national director Bob McCoskrie says, "This decision is a victory for the many charitable groups - both registered, deregistered and wanting to be registered - who advocate for their causes, beliefs, and supporters and often have to engage in political activity, not always through choice but through necessity."

"It is a victory for open robust debate on issues that affect families."

Source

• mercatornet.com
• Image: familyfirst.org.nz

He was speaking on the issue in the light of the United States Supreme Court decision upholding same gender marriage.

"Firstly, it's for their own good, because of the complementary nature of the two sexes they bring wholesome to the other."

"Secondly it's open to procreation and because of that their love overflows into the wider society."

"According to the church this is what we understand by marriage, any relationship that falls short of this cannot be called marriage," Archbishop Chong explained.

The Ministry of the iTaukei Affairs will never at any time support same sex marriage according to Deputy Permanent Secretary Apakuki Kurusiga

When the Fiji Sun posed the question on same sex marriage to him he said - "No way; it is against our culture and tradition."

He said marriage to the iTaukei people was a very sacred ceremony and there were traditional protocols to be followed leading to the wedding proper.

Most iTaukei people in villages are members of different religious groups and these groups, he said, firmly believed marriage was a union between a man and a woman.

Spokesmen for The Methodist Church in Fiji and Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji have also expressed the belief that marriage should be defined as a union between a woman and a man.

Same sex marriages are not a priority of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community, says Sulique Waqa, the co-ordinator of the Haus of Khameleon which is a safe haven for LGBTQ members.

"Because we feel like before we start talking about same-sex marriage we need to equally look at the critical issues that we have been fighting for the past decade and the past years as LGBTQ activists in the Pacific," she said.

According to data retrieved from the Council of Global Equality, a number of countries within the Pacific have criminalised homosexuality and only six countries within the Pacific region have decriminalised homosexuality.

Fiji is one of the six who have.

Ms Waqa added if a discussion were to be struck on same-sex marriages, homosexuality needs to first be decriminalised in the region.

Source

• fijitiems.com
• fijitimes.com
• fijisun.com.fj
• Image: transform.fairfaxregional.com.au

Loretta M. Pangelinan and Kathleen M. Aguero, both 28, sued after the registrar refused them a license because Guam law defines marriage as a union between two people of the opposite sex.

The Attorney-General said a licence should be issued but the Governor opposed the move asking for a stay until a similar case is resolved by the US Supreme Court in June.

Last Friday the District Court of Guam ruled that the two women must be allowed to wed, making it the first U.S. territory to to make same gender marriage legal.

More than 80 percent of the residents of Guam are Catholic.

The Catholic Church helped defeat a bill seeking to legalise same gender unions in 2009.

Since the legal challenge was raised, the Church has continued to speak out against same gender marriage.

In April, in the local Catholic newspaper Umatuna Si Yu'os the archdiocese called on the governor, the Guam Legislature and people of goodwill, "To end this assault on the very foundation of our traditional, cultural and religious patrimony."

Father Francis Walsh, from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Yona, was reported as saying the church is "not against persons who may have homosexual tendencies" but is opposed to same-sex unions because "it is a threat to the very definition of marriage."

"When we take the gift of sexuality and use it for other purposes we are turning it inside upside down and therefore it becomes intrinsically disordered when it is no longer ordered to express love in the service of life," he said.

The lawyer for the Guam couple likely to be the first same-sex couple to marry in the Pacific says he is proud the island has recognised marriage equality.

In the other two US Pacific territories, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas — no gay or lesbian couples have made a legal case for marriage rights.

Source

• radionz.co.nz
• bustle.com
• nytimes.com
• kuam.com
• khon2.com
• Image: kuam.images.worldnow.com

The headline for the news item read "Catholic crusader Peter Westmore blesses daughter's gay marriage in New Zealand."

Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm's Freedom to Marry bill, was scheduled for debate in Australian Federal Parliament on Thursday.

When asked about it Westmore said his daughter's wedding had his blessing. "She always has my blessing in everything she does."

Asked if he still supported the his lobby group the National Civic Council's (NCC) opposition on same sex marriage he said: "Of course I do."

Fairfax Media reported that Westmore did not respond when asked about the apparent hypocrisy in his personal and political positions on the issue.

It went on to say that he asked for his family's privacy to be respected.

The word respect was placed in quotation marks.

When contacted by the media Westmore's daughter did not return the call.

Australian Marriage Equality national director Rodney Croome said Westmore's support for his daughter's wedding was a reminder that marriage equality affected Australian families across the political spectrum.

"Some people will call Mr Westmore hypocritical for opposing marriage equality, but my hope is that, like many other people of faith, he's on a journey towards supporting it."

Source

• The Age
• Image: Stuff.co.nz

They went by horse-drawn carriage to a reception at the Cloud on the Auckland waterfront, followed by a honeymoon paid for by Tourism Fiji. But less than a year later, it seems to be all over. Read more

The meeting, with Pacific church leaders at the Samoan Independent Seventh Day Adventist Church in Mangere, was also a platform to promote National's candidate for Mangere, Misa Fia Turner.

Key says there had been a shift in support in the Labour stronghold of South Auckland.

"I can't think of a time when I've been the leader of the National Party when we would have had so many people in Mangere turn up for a National Party meeting."

"I think it just sends a very strong message that there are changes afoot in voting patterns for Pacific New Zealanders." Key said.

Key concedes National is still the Pacific underdog, but believes come September they will secure more votes from south Auckland than ever before

Gay marriage is considered to be one of the main reasons for the change.

"The values, that's important to us because that's really against our moral values ," says Misa-Fia Turner.

National's Pacific Island Affairs Minister and Maungakiekie MP Sam Lotu-Iiga admitted that unseating incumbent Mangere MP, Labour's Su'a William Sio, would be a tough ask.

I wouldn't get overly optimistic about it," Lotu-Iiga said.

Labour leader David Cunliffe insists he is still living the Pacific dream.

"We have had a wonderful day here in Manurewa," he says.

He says the turnout at his meeting in south Auckland last night proves that.
"It's great. We are having an amazing turn out, record numbers."

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• 3News
• Image: 3News