Audio Curios: “The Beauty of Difference”
6 Jul 2016
We dip into Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision’s radio collection and explore how the taonga can highlight changing societal attitudes.
By Gareth Watkins
09 July 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of the 'Homosexual Law Reform Bill' and in this blog we focus on the viewpoints of some Members of Parliament.
Hero image: Still of protesters in Auckland - Featured on Eyewitness News (TVNZ, 24 May 1985).
An anti-reform campaigner marches in front of the pro-reform procession - Featured on Eyewitness News (TVNZ, 24 May 1985).
One of the more striking changes in attitude has been from former MP John Banks. In the mid-1980s he was vehemently opposed to homosexual law reform. Here he is speaking in Parliament in 1986 about this “evil” Bill.
"Go back into the sewers" - MP John Banks quoted in the Committee of the Whole House, Parliament, 25 March 1986. Appears in RNZ documentary, '20 Years Out! Homosexual Law reform in New Zealand'. (Original audio sourced from LAGANZ (ref: 0234-B))
However, 27 years later, in April 2013, John Banks backed same-sex marriage. Here he is speaking during the third reading of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill. The Bill passed its third and final reading 77 / 44.
MP John Banks - Third reading of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill (Parliament, 17 April 2013).
MP Norman Jones in 1985 (Photo - David Hindley).
One Member of Parliament who never changed his viewpoint was Norman Jones (d.1987). He, along with a number of other MPs, used spurious arguments to try and stop the passage of the Bill. One of those arguments was that law reform would increase homosexual activity, and therefore increase the prevalence of AIDS (proponents of the Bill argued that decriminalisation was essential to successfully limit the HIV AIDS epidemic).
Interview with Norman Jones (13 November 1985) - Appears in RNZ documentary, '20 Years Out! Homosexual Law reform in New Zealand'. (Original audio sourced from LAGANZ (ref: 0207-A)).
Protesters at Parliament - Featured on Eyewitness News (TVNZ, 05 November 1985).
But times have changed, and we now have greater diversity in Parliament – due in part to the MMP voting system (Mixed Member Proportional), in place since 1996. An example of this diversity is MP Jan Logie, who has been a List MP since 2011. Here’s an edited excerpt from her maiden speech where she celebrates the “beauty of difference”:
MP Jan Logie - Maiden Speech (Parliament, 15 February 2012).
Check out RNZ's Documentary, '20 Years Out! Homosexual Law reform in New Zealand' and join us for a special screening of material from the homosexual law reform period on Saturday 9 July at 4.30pm, at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision in Wellington.
A special thank you to Linda Evans, Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand, for help with this blog.