Ms Tizard said "If that's what gay and lesbian people want (the right to marry) ... I don't see why the rest of the community should stop that recognition."
Neville Creighton, Auckland Gay and Lesbian Welfare co-ordinator, said he did not personally believe legal recognition of same-sex marriages was necessary but he did back registration of relationships as in Sweden.
John Jamieson, Christian Democrat spokesman, opposed the move and said "the push to legalise gay marriage can never successfully replicate a union which has the potential for reproduction and is the basic component on which our society is built."
Graeme Hunt, in a column in the National Business Review (NBR) said the Doug Graham's 'odd-ball proposals' could 'attract the less-than-welcome tag of the minister who attacked the family' to his name. In attacking the proposals Mr Hunt wrote that 'Mr Graham is going down this path in the interests of so-called fairness to people who cannot be bothered getting married or are not legally allowed to marry.' Mr Hunt made no comment on the fact that gay's cannot legally marry.
