Labour MP Louisa Wall has responded to claims that marriage equality is a stepping stone towards polygamy and says that nowhere in the world has this been the case.

Research polls commissioned by the Herald on Sunday have found that 53.9 per cent of Kiwis support marriage equality and 38.1 per cent do not.  They also show that older generations were less likely to support marriage equality.

Family First national director, Bob McCoskrie, has responded to the poll results by saying that they show a decline in support of   marriage equality and that a law change would only lead to polygamy.

“If you’re talking about real equality that means it should be available to anybody. That includes three or four who want to get married, that includes teenagers who want to get married, married people who want to marry somebody else at the same time” says McCoskrie.

“It’s on the agenda and everybody knows it. It’s on the long-term agenda” he says.

Louisa Wall has responded to the conservative leaders comments and says “The argument that marriage equality leads to polygamy is wrong. Suggestions that hordes of teenagers and men choosing to have more than one wife are going to jostle for marriage licenses are far-fetched and misleading.”

“Fear mongers will argue that equality opens the institution of marriage up to relationships involving more than 2 people. What it actually means is that the law — and the social and civil institutions that the law governs — apply equally to everyone. It means that a couple, who so choose, can apply for and receive a marriage licence from the State.”

“We live in a democracy – one person, one vote i.e. equal citizenship and the laws of New Zealand applying equally to all its citizens.”

We have heard those who oppose marriage equality speak of their fears surrounding the redefinition of marriage. Wall responds to those fears and says “Our 1955 Marriage Act has never defined marriage – there is a current convention and I note marriage is an evolving institution. My bill seeks to confirm that two consenting adults that are not prohibited to marry as per the Marriage Act can obtain a marriage license from the State. It is that simple.

“My bill is concerned with defining who can get a marriage license from the State if they choose to, not how, where and who marries them.

“I ask for societal change beyond tolerance – what we need is genuine acceptance. We are all equal human beings and so are equally entitled to the State institution of marriage, a commitment of love and family between two people” she says.

Wall says that the facts surrounding same sex marriage and polygamy show the polar opposite to what McCoskrie is suggesting. “No country that has legalised polygamy recognises marriage equality, whereas the 11 countries that have legalised marriage equality outlaw polygamy.”

“Polygamy- Bigamy is illegal in New Zealand under the Crimes Act 1961, S 205.  No country that has legalised polygamy recognises marriage equality, whereas the 11 countries that have legalised marriage equality outlaw polygamy.”

None of the 50 countries who have legalised polygamy have legal status of marriage equality and for 37 of 50, homosexual law reform is yet to be achieved.

List of countries with status of polygamy recognized under civil law, same-sex sexual activity status and    relationship recognition.

Afghanistan – illegal – death penalty – no relationship recognition

Algeria – illegal – fine + 2-24 months imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Bahrain – illegal – criminal code silent – no relationship recognition

Bangladesh – illegal – 10 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Brunei – illegal male – 10 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Burkina Faso – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Cameroon – illegal – fine and 5 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Chad – LEGAL since 1967  - no relationship recognition

Central African Republic – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Comoros – illegal – fine and 5 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Congo – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Djibouti – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Egypt – LEGAL as not specifically outlawed but they have “public morality” laws -  no relationship recognition

Ethiopia – illegal – up to 15 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Gabon – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

The Gambia – illegal – up to 14 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

India – LEGAL 2009 - no relationship recognition

Indonesia – LEGAL except Muslims in Aceh province - no relationship recognition

Iran – illegal – death penalty – no relationship recognition

Iraq – LEGAL 2003 although vigilantes have applied Sharia law (executions) -  no relationship recognition

Jordan – LEGAL although vigilante honor killings (executions) – no relationship recognition

Kuwait – illegal – fine and U 21 years imprisonment up to 10 years + over 21 years

imprisonment up to 7 years – no relationship recognition

Libya – illegal – up to 5 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Malaysia – illegal – up to 20 years imprisonment, fines and whippings – no relationship recognition

Maldives – illegal – no penalty but shariah laws may apply – no relationship recognition

Mali – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Mauritania – illegal – death penalty – no relationship recognition

Morocco – illegal – up to 3 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Myanmar (Burma) – illegal – up to 10 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Niger – LEGAL - no relationship recognition

Oman – illegal – fines and up to 3 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Pakistan – illegal, Sharia law maybe applied and 2 years up to life imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Palestine – illegal male Gaza up to 10 years imprisonment AND  LEGAL 1951 West Bank – both no relationship recognition

Qatar – illegal – up to 5 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Saudi Arabia – illegal – death penalty or fines, whipping and or imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Senegal – illegal – fines and up to 1-5 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Singapore – illegal men – up to 2 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Somalia – illegal – no relationship recognition

Sri Lanka – illegal penalty is fine or whipping – no relationship recognition

Sudan – illegal – death penalty for men 3rd offense and women 4th offense – no relationship recognition

Syria – illegal – up to 3 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Tanzania – illegal – up to life imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Togo – illegal – fine and/or 3 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

Uganda – illegal men – up to life imprisonment  and illegal women from 2000 – no relationship recognition

United Arab Emirates – illegal – deportation, fines, imprisonment or death penalty – no relationship recognition

Yemen – illegal – flogging or death – no relationship recognition

Zambia – illegal – up to 14 years imprisonment – no relationship recognition

 

| Sarah Murphy