NZNEWS

URDU HINDI CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
INCORPORATED
(2552844)
54A Roberton Road, Avondale
Auckland -1026, New Zealand
Tel: 09 818 4876
IRD Number 107-782-850



Submission on Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill

Made on behalf of the Urdu Hindi Cultural Association of New Zealand

The above organisation represents members from various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The members have some serious concerns about this Member’s Bill on the following grounds:

Under the explanatory note, the general policy statement states that ‘this Bill amends the Marriage Act 1955 (the principal Act) to ensure that its provisions are not applied in a discriminatory manner.’ It further states that ‘marriage as a social institution, is a fundamental human right and limiting that human right to one group of society only does not allow for equality.’

We strongly dispute that marriage is a social institution only. For most of our members, it is a religious and/or civil sacrament and has inherent expectation of procreation. Same sex marriage goes against this very fundamental belief that we hold very dearly. It is a relationship that is recognized across cultures, countries and religions.

If the proposed amendment is to be used as a basic human right and as the main driving force behind the proposed amendment, then it will create further discriminations instead of rectifying the ‘current inequality’. The law also needs to take into account other groups of people who may also want to exercise their wish/right to a legal marriage, for example people in a polygamous relationship. Thus, the proposed act can be challenged at a later date to include polygamous marriages which are also viewed as a ‘social institution’ by many. If a definition of marriage can be amended once, what is to stop it being amended again!

We therefore urge you to vote against this bill for the following reason:

* Marriage is a religious and/or civil sacrament and in most ancient traditions is a sacred practice between two genders which has procreation as one of the key outcome of this union. Historically Marriage Act recognises the biological difference between the two genders and accepts a union between two genders. The Civil Union Act 2004 recognises the union between two people irrespective of their gender and sexual orientation.
* Civil Union Act provides most if not all the legal rights to an individual. The only key difference we see is the right to adopt children is afforded to the Civil Union relationships. In that case, the Act that needs to be amended is not the Marriage Act but the Adoption Act.
* It is our contention that amendment to the Marriage Act 1955 is unnecessary and does not address the issue of discrimination as it will set precedent for other types of social relationships to be recognised as marriage e.g. polygamous relationship.

NAFIS Akhtar JP
PRESIDENT
URDU HINDI CULTURAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND

Pushpa Wood
Mujeeb Syed QSM
Patrik Bennett