NZ Celebrants caught out in the immoral Homosexual pretend marriage
A bill to legalise same-sex marriage would not force celebrants to marry gay couples if they didn't want to, its sponsor says. But Conservative Party leader Colin Craig says the bill will not protect the rights of all celebrants who do not wish to marry same-sex couples. A select committee last month recommended changing the bill to make it clear that no celebrant recognised by a religious body or nominated by an approved organisation would have to marry a couple if it meant contravening their own or the organisation's beliefs. Critics say that would cover only about a third of celebrants and the rest, who are not linked to a religious organisation, will not be covered. Mr Craig told TVNZ 's Q+A programme today that the select committee had ignored advice to explicitly cover all celebrants. "At the moment, the proposed amendment only protects 32 per cent of celebrants. The other 68 you're hanging out to dry," he said. Mr Craig called on the Government to