A petition calling for Government to introduce stronger provisions in the bill to ban conversion practices has reached almost 18,000 signatures, as the proposed law heads back into Parliament on Wednesday evening.
The bill passed its second reading last night, with all but seven MPs in support. Michael Woodhouse, Louise Upston, Shane Reti, Simon O'Connor, Melissa Lee, Simeon Brown and Simon Bridges voted against the bill.
Shaneel Lal of End Conversion Therapy NZ created the petition calling for the Government to "actually ban conversion therapy" through strengthening the bill going through Parliament.
Currently, the proposed law would not provide ACC coverage for victims who had suffered harm from conversion therapy and it would also need to get the consent from the Attorney-General for prosecutions.
"The Government has put forward an inadequate and ineffective bill that will fail to ban conversion therapy or provide any support to victims and survivors of conversion therapy," the petition states.
"This bill is fantastic for New Zealand's reputation but not for the queer community. The New Zealand queer community has waited years for our Government to ban gay and gender conversion therapy. We deserve a law that will end conversion therapy."
If passed into law, a person could be imprisoned for up to three years in jail for performing conversion therapy on someone under 18 ,and up to five years where it has caused serious harm, irrespective of age. The Attorney-General needed to give consent for those prosecutions.
The petition asked the Government to remove the 18-year age limit to include all ages, to remove the provision that the Attorney-General needed to give consent for prosecutions and to provide ACC coverage for the harm caused by conversion therapy.
Justice Minister Kris Faafoi said the bill "will prevent the harm that conversion practices cause and provides options for redress, while upholding the human rights of all New Zealanders, including the rights of our rainbow communities to live free from harm and discrimination".
"I welcome the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill having passed its second reading with support from all political parties, including almost all of the National Party’s MPs making individual conscience votes in favour of advancing the bill."
After passing its second reading, a bill would go to 'committee of the whole House', where proposed changes would be debated and voted on. ACT and some other National MPs said they had concerns about the bill in its current form, with their support for third reading possibly hinging on the outcome from any changes Wednesday night.
Six proposed changes had so far been lodged. The Green's Elizabeth Kerekere proposed definitions for gender expression, gender identity and sexual orientation consistent with recommendations by the Human Rights Commission.
ACT's Nicole McKee proposed exemptions to parents and reviews of the law, while National's Paul Goldsmith proposed an exemption to "health practitioner frankly outlining the risks, consequences, and merits of medical intervention in relation to gender transition", parents "withholding consent for medical intervention in relation to gender transition" and the "expression of any opinion".
Faafoi said the bill "encourages safe and open discussions around sexuality and gender expression".
He said it "makes clear conversations between parents and their children who may be wrestling with their sexuality or gender identity, or where someone seeks the support and help of a health practitioner or religious practitioner do not amount to conversion practices".
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