A National Party candidate previously compared civil unions to polygamy and incest.
Greg Fleming, who is standing for the party in the Maungakiekie electorate, made the comments when managing director of the Maxim Institute.
In June 2004 he put out a press release questioning the government's motives behind the Civil Unions Bill, which passed later that year.
It allowed couples to formally register their relationship. At the time same sex marriages weren't allowed.
"We must be clear that the sole purpose of this Bill is to provide for same-sex marriage in all but name. Government propaganda suggesting civil unions are an alternative for defacto couples is just a farce," he wrote.
"Why is the government allowing discrimination to continue by refusing to legally recognise other relationship forms such as the union of siblings or more than two people?"
Today, Fleming said he now "very much supports civil unions".
"My comments two decades ago were trying to make a point about contractual law but weren’t helpful and I wouldn’t make them again.
"Our marriage laws are now well and truly settled and I support leaving them as they are."
Speaking at Parliament today, National Party leader Christopher Luxon pointed out the comments were 20 years old, but they were not his views.
National’s Maungakiekie candidate previously compared same-sex marriage to polygamy and incest. (Source: 1News)
"They are comments I absolutely utterly reject. I am a big supporter of same-sex marriage. People should be free to love whoever they want to love," Luxon said.
It comes after previous issues with candidate selection in the party. Violent incidents in Sam Uffindell's past were not made public until he won the Tauranga by-election, although they were disclosed to the party during selection.
A former candidate, Jake Bezzant, left the party after an ex-girlfriend made serious allegations against him.
Luxon said he was happy with the diversity in candidate selection.
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