http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=\ForeignBureaus\archive\200404\FOR20040407a.htmlBy Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com Pacific Rim Bureau Chief
April 07, 2004
Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - The Catholic Church in New Zealand has waded into a national debate on proposed legislation to give homosexual relationships equality with marriage. They argue that giving marriage a unique status has nothing to do with "homophobia" or denying free "choice."
New Zealand's Labor government plans to place a bill before parliament within weeks that would give homosexual and unmarried heterosexual couples the right to register their relationship with state authorities as a "civil union."
An accompanying bill will remove the terms "marriage," "husband" and "wife" from more than 100 pieces of legislation. Together, the two pieces of legislation will give same-sex couples the same legal rights and benefits as married couples.