are you gay - and been to hospital lately?
There's a couple of interesting articles that have been recently posted on Gay NZ.com regarding next of kin rights. Calum Bennachie and Chris Banks are >arguing that civil unions is the answer to problems with next of kin rights. Calum explains his lack of rights while he was in hospital a few years ago. Have a read of the article and take out the words "civil union" and insert "the provisions of the Relationships ( Statutory References ) Bill" ( or equivalent) and the article will be more honest and accurate in terms of proposed NZ legislation.
The article says:
"Having a Civil Union would have ensured that the person I wanted as my next of kin would have been treated by the hospital as my next of kin, not someone who would have preferred I did not exist. I would not have had to go through such humiliation, would not have been reminded that our relationship was worthless in the eyes of the law, and would not have had it rubbed in that, despite my love and commitment to my partner, we were “legal strangers"
This discrimination would be removed by undergoing a simple Civil Union Ceremony."
This last statement is incorrect, and it will never be correct based on the way our laws are intended to be formulated. He is absolutely incorrect in implying that a Civil Union Act is the answer to removing discrimination. That is where the Relationships ( Statutory References) Bill comes in.
Why am I going on about this? It is because I am sick of the crap and half-truths that some in the gay community are making in support of civil unions.
Like GayNZ.com reader Scott Stevens. He has a go at attacking Maxim Institute and defending civil unions. It’s a very muddled piece.
He quotes the Maxim Institute:
"Hospital visitation rights and the ability to be named next-of-kin are frequently claimed to be areas of discrimination against de facto and same-sex couples used to justify support for the Relationships Bill".
And then goes on to say how the Civil Unions will change everything.
Umm… Rubbish!
There will be no difference between next of kin rights for married, de facto or same sex relationships - or a civil union relationship - when the RSRB is passed. So the passage of the CUB itself makes no difference to this legal right, and therefore the CUB is not the bill htat is subject to a debate on this right.
Can someone in the gay community please come out and confirm this.
3 comments:
Dave
"Qwhy can't we all just get along?"
Mike
:-)
PS. what do you expect?
For some this is the end run with a homosexual friendly administration.
Legal recognition and acceptance.
It's now or never da da dah...
The fact that this is driven by a small minority (activists) of a small minority (MP's) is immaterial.
Lets have a plebeshite(pun intended) on it and then we'll see who actually supports this restructuring of society to support behavioural choices.
The reality is that won't happen in a month of Sundays because when the issue is properly discussed the majority won't say Yea but Nay.
Best
Mike
Dave
"Qwhy can't we all just get along?"
Mike
:-)
PS. what do you expect?
For some this is the end run with a homosexual friendly administration.
Legal recognition and acceptance.
It's now or never da da dah...
The fact that this is driven by a small minority (activists) of a small minority (MP's) is immaterial.
Lets have a plebeshite(pun intended) on it and then we'll see who actually supports this restructuring of society to support behavioural choices.
The reality is that won't happen in a month of Sundays because when the issue is properly discussed the majority won't say Yea but Nay.
Best
Mike
Actually, while they are wrong in law, in reality they may be right. The reason is that it is understood that if the Civil Union Bill is not passed, then the Government will withdraw the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill.
Matthew.
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