| Civil Union Act 2004 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| New Zealand Parliament | |
| Passed by | House of Representatives |
| Passed | 9 December 2004 |
| Royal assent | 13 December 2004 |
| Commenced | 26 April 2005 |
| Administered by | Ministry of Justice |
| Legislative history | |
| Bill title | Civil Union Bill |
| Introduced by | David Benson-Pope |
| Introduced | 21 June 2004 |
| First reading | 24 June 2004 |
| Second reading | 2 December 2004 |
| Third reading | 9 December 2004 |
| Amended by | |
| Civil Union Amendment Act 2007 | |
| Related legislation | |
| Relationships (Statutory References) Act 2005 Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013 | |
| Status: Current legislation | |
TheCivil Union Act 2004 is a New Zealand act of parliament legislatingcivil unions. It was passed into law on Thursday 9 December 2004 by a final vote of 65–55 in theNew Zealand Parliament.[1] The act makes it legal for those in same-sex as well as heterosexual relationships to enter into a civil union.
The act is still in force, despite New Zealand providingsame-sex marriages since 19 August 2013, under theMarriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013.
The act was opposed by religious groups, including theCatholic Church. ThenNew Zealand National Party leaderDon Brash opposed the bill, but only as he believed it should be put to areferendum. The Act was widely supported by the then-governingNew Zealand Labour Party.
  | This article relating tolaw in New Zealand is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |