Uncivil behaviour at Big Gay Out

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, February 14th, 2011 - 24 comments
Categories: gay rights, john key, phil goff - Tags:

John Key at the Big Day Out:

“[Key] reminded the crowd that National had promised not to roll back any gay-rights policies and the Government had stuck to that promise. He also asked the crowd to consider voting for National this election.”

Wow. Ambitious for gay New Zealand. ‘I said I wouldn’t screw you lot over and so far I haven’t, well, not you specifically. How’s about you trust me for a second round?’

And how’s about this for standing up for existing gay rights?

he refused to be drawn on his stance on civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

Radio host Steven Oats invited Mr Key to his stall and asked him whether he would support civil unions should a conscience vote be held tomorrow.

“I’m leaving it until my book. I know the answer, but just wait until my book,” Mr Key said.

He won’t even say if he supports civil unions? We have had civil unions for six years now, I would have thought the paranoid homophobes had moved on. Seems not. It’s worth remembering that Key opposed civil unions back in 2004. Are they still under threat?

One thing is for sure, Key’s never writing no book.

Contrast with Phil Goff:

Goff said despite what had been achieved in terms of gay rights there was still much work to do. “There is still discrimination in the community.” Goff said Labour had long been the champion of gay rights, unlike some politicians, who he said would also speak today, who just “smiled and waved”.

With Labour, you get a progressive mindset that recognises discrimination is still a problem and that government has a role in correcting it. With National you get the status quo at best.

24 comments on “Uncivil behaviour at Big Gay Out ”

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  1. Tigger 1
    14 February 2011 at 8:58 am

    Oh my god, he’s already writing his memoirs? Don’t you usually wait until after you’ve finished your career before you do that? He really is bored…

    But why would he even think about rolling back gay rights? Why is that even in his head…unless he secretly thinks it’s a good idea…or he’s holding back some horrid conservative tide…?

    And glad he thinks how he voted needs to be ‘secret’. No out and proud for our PM guys…to him we’re just a dirty thing that needs to be kept in the closet (if he would vote yes) or he’s happy to keep duping us (if he would vote no).

    • Colonial Viper 1.1
      14 February 2011 at 9:01 am

      Don’t you usually wait until after you’ve finished your career before you do that? He really is bored…

      Yes, Key’s body is still in Parliament, but his brain and his soul have long since left.

    • Pascal's bookie 1.2
      14 February 2011 at 9:48 am

      In the book he will cite his CU vote as one of his deepest regrets. He personally favoured the legislation but voted against it for what he now realises were base political motivations. He believed that the legislation would pass without his vote, and so didn’t think that it was worth getting off side with the strong anti forces within his electorate. In hindsight, he writes, I should have done things differently, but in the 2011 present, those anti forces are still not worth shitting on.

    • The Voice of Reason 1.3
      14 February 2011 at 11:09 am

      Too early for an autobiography? Well, Justin Bieber’s just done his first one, Tigger. Of course, there are differences between them. One’s a lightweight media creation and superficial superstar who appeals to people who are immature, uncritical and vacuous. The other’s Canadian.

  2. ianmac 2
    14 February 2011 at 9:58 am

    I read somewhere that Key was mobbed by supporters when he arrived at BGO? Was he?

    • ianmac 2.1
      14 February 2011 at 10:13 am

      Ah. The Herald: “The Prime Minister was running late at the Big Gay Out, but when he did turn up thousands flocked to see him.” True? Anyone?

      • Lanthanide 2.1.1
        14 February 2011 at 10:40 am

        ‘thousands’? Really? You wouldn’t be able to see Key if there were ‘thousands’ surrounding him.

        He ain’t the Dalai Lama, Pope or Nelson Mandela.

    • Carol 2.2
      14 February 2011 at 10:18 am

      ianmac, that was claimed in a gaynz update yesterday.:
      http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_9924.php

      3.25: PM MOBBED ON PROGRESS THROUGH PARK

      Prime Minister John Key has arrived at the Get It On Big Gay Out and has been slowed down in his progress through Coyle Park by a large group of well-wishers and the occasional protester.

      The PM’s progress has been further slowed by a large general media contingent of reporters and camera people who seem more interested in governmental matters than his presence at the Big Gay Out.

      Mr Key is already late for his speech from the main stage which he is expected to make shortly.

      I am sceptical. We haven’t really been told about the amount of people that greeted Labour MPs & Green MP Kevin Hague, as mentioned earlier in the gaynz updates. But the left MPs spent much longer at the BGO so had more time to meet a large amount of people.

      Also, if Key had been “mobbed” I’m sure our FTA evening news would have foregrounded pics of it, ditto NZ Herald & Stuff. Instead stuff concentrated more on Goff’s speech and the “warm welcome” he got. NZ Herald does focus on Key but mentions that “thousands flocking to see him”. Which is a bit vague, and short of being mobbed.

      But as Bomber & some at Red Alert have commented. Goff & Ardern, while they have been a significant & positive presence at BGO, could have grabbed the headlines by being more pro-active: eg, they could have responded to Bomber’s call for an Auckland Mardi Gras (actually I thing the February festival could be upgraded & leave the MG to Sydney), or some other more ambituous LGBT policy like full marriage rights.

  3. Draco T Bastard 3
    14 February 2011 at 10:54 am

    One thing is for sure, Key’s never writing no book.

    Well, not one that actually tells the truth anyway.

  4. Nick C 4
    14 February 2011 at 11:55 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/4652408/Britain-plans-gay-unions-in-places-of-worship

    At least the Tories are making some progress in Britian. Lets hope National follows suit (although Keys performance at BGO wasnt exactly inspiring).

    captcha: Choice. Lets have some more of that.

  5. Lindsey 5
    14 February 2011 at 12:07 pm

    He is rolling back our rights every day. He has appointed known homophobes like Brian Neeson to the Human Rights Review Tribunal and the Charlotte Museum got turned down for Lotteries funding because of two Tory appointees on the Auckland Committee who didn’t see the necessity for a Lesbian Museum.
    Captcha – “forget” – we wont!

    • higherstandard 5.1
      14 February 2011 at 3:25 pm

      Lesbian museum ?

      • Adele 5.1.1
        14 February 2011 at 4:25 pm

        Teenaa koe, higherstandard

        Yes a lesbian museum. Many ancient and archaic artefacts can be found in the lesbian museum:

        There is the rare and unusual Blue Rinseus – a dry as bone dildo dredged from the depths of a remuera pool. Its ugly.

        And then there is my petsonal favourite, The Red Cannon – a dildo fitted with a V8 engine – that can also double as a food processor. A thing of beauty!

  6. kriswgtn 6
    14 February 2011 at 2:01 pm

    Prime Minister John Key was given a warmer than usual welcome, particularly when he announced his support for Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye’s efforts to bring a Mardis Gras style parade to Auckland. He had earlier battled to get to the stage because people were stopping to speak with him and pose for pictures, some lauding him and others confronting him with hard questions.

    The Prime Minister was grilled by Radio Ponsonby host and MC Steven Oates on his views on civil unions, which he voted against in Parliament.

    Oates asked Key whether his vote would be different if a conscience vote was held tomorrow, but the Prime Minister was not willing to give a direct answer simply saying, “I’m leaving it until my book. I know the answer, but just wait until my book.”

    http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_9929.php

    what a dick

    Most gay folk dont buy your bullshit Key

  7. Pascal's bookie 7
    14 February 2011 at 4:22 pm

    I/S tallies up the conscious votes, and asks “where are they now?

    Results: not pretty.

    24 of 27 National MPs, including John Key himself, voted against Civil Unions. 14 of those MPs are now in Cabinet. All three who supported the bill have now been forced out of Parliament.

    36 National MPs voted for marriage bigotry, in the form of Gordon Copeland’s revolting Marriage (Gender Clarification) Amendment Bill. 15 of those MPs are now in Cabinet.

    During the same debate, 6 National MPs – including current Cabinet Ministers Judith Collins, John Carter, and Nick Smith – voted to remove sexual orientation from the protection of the Human Rights Act.

    Still wanna know why JK doesnae care to talk about how he’d vote if a CU bill came up 2moro?

  8. ianmac 8
    14 February 2011 at 11:23 pm

    Just noticed the Header on the Herald
    “Prime Minister John Key has announced the possible return of a gay and lesbian mardi gras-style festival. ”
    Followed by a video:
    1. No mention of a return to the Mardi Gras Festival????
    2. No clip of Mr Key being mobbed or even a group approaching him apart from a cluster of reporters.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_cid=1&gallery_id=116717

  9. BLiP 9
    15 February 2011 at 2:25 am

    Hey, stop moaning. John Key say he “really enjoyed Brokeback Mountain”?

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