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Queer History New Zealand
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender
New Zealand History

A Chronicle of Homosexuality in New Zealand

 

PART 4 - Before Homosexual Law Reform

 Go back to the end of Part 3

1981

June

12

Gay men and lesbians picket a conference of the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards at the Loaves and Fishes, Wellington Cathedral.

1981

mid-year

 

Lesbians are very active in protests against the Springbok Rugby tour of NZ.

1981

mid-year

 

First feminist radio programme "Leave The Dishes In The Sink" broadcast on Wellington Access Radio.

1981

August

 

Lesbian Line telephone service is set up in Christchurch, on a more formal basis than the earlier SHE service.

1981

November

 

Dr Ian Scott stands unsuccessfully as an openly gay Labour candidate for Mt Eden.

1981

November

 

Wellington Gay Task Force formed after a police raid on the Wakefield sauna.

1982

 

 

The Equality Bill Campaign unsuccessfully petitions the Prime Minister for law reform.

1982

 

 

Auckland lesbians begin publishing "Dyke News"

1982

 

 

Wellington lesbians begin publishing "Lesbian LIP" a lesbian-feminist newsletter.

1982

April

8

Wellington Women's Land Collective publish Women's Land, outlining plans for establishing a rural lesbian community

1982

April

 

10th National Gay Rights Conference, is held at Te Tira Hou Marae, Panmure.

1982

May

 

Lesbian Leap Weekend, a national gathering to celebrate and share lesbian culture and discuss political issues, is held at Porirua. A play by Lynne L is performed.

1982

May

 

"Truth" newspaper publishes an anti-lesbian article about "Lesbian-feminist Circle" magazine, pretending a suggestion that lesbians take over Carterton is serious. Lesbians respond with a pasteup.

1982

July

 

Lesbian feminists remove a display they consider offensive to working class culture from the Women's Art Gallery in Wellington.

1982

September

 

A TV documentary about lesbians and gay men in NZ is screened nationwide.

1982

November

 

Lesbian Creativity Week is held to mark the closing of the first Lesbian Centre, in Wellington.

1983

 

 

The Equality Bill, lacking support from gay organisations (it would have set an age of consent for lesbian activity) is abandoned.

1983

 

 

An anonymous man in New Plymouth is the first known person in New Zealand to die from AIDS complications..

1983

August

 

The first lesbian caucus of the Women's Studies Association is held at its Blenheim conference.

1983

November

1

Homosexual Law Reform Society secretary and long-term campaigner Jack Goodwin dies.

1983

November

 

Bruce Burnett returns from the US, trained as a Shanti Project volunteer and highly motivated to prevent HIV infection in NZ.

1983

December

 

The National Gay Rights Coalition produces the country's first leaflet about AIDS, "AIDS, Choices and Chances"

1984

 

 

The first book on lesbianism in NZ, "Amazon Mothers" by Miriam Saphira, is published

1984

June

1

AIDS Support Network formed (becomes NZ AIDS Foundation in 1985)

1984

June

1

Gay men and lesbians picket a performance of "Boys' Own McBeth" at Downstage, Wellington, claiming it is homophobic

1984

July

7

Fran Wilde meets with Wellington Central gay community to discuss law reform options.

1984

July

14

Snap election (brought on in part by Marilyn Waring crossing the floor on nuclear ships issue) is Labour landslide, giving hope of reform.

1984

September

1

Gay Task Force re-forms in Wellngton to assist Fran Wilde's proposed Homosexual Law Refom Bill.

1984

September

28

Morals campaigner Patricia Bartlett warns that sex education might be taught by a "someone known to the children as a poofter."

1984

October

19

Retired sharebroker Donald Corby of Wanganui is punched and kicked to death near Palmerston North. Russell Graham, 18, and Manu Royal, 25, are later convicted of his manslaughter and sentenced to 7 1/2 and 9 1/2 years gaol.

1984

November

6

Christchurch Gay Task Force formed.

1984

November

10

Auckland Gay Task Force formed.

1985

 

 

Dunedin Gay Task force formed (shortlived).

1985

February

2

Gay BC begins regular broadcasts on Wellington Access Radio, 1/2hr weekly from February 16, to report on law reform campaign.

1985

March

7

Fran Wilde (Labour, Wellington Central) introduces the Homosexual Law Reform Bill after six months consultation with gay community groups.

1985

March

8

Parliament votes for Homosexual Law Reform Bill to be introduced by 51 votes to 24.

1985

March

14

MPs Braybrooke (Labour, Napier) Lee (National, Hauraki), Jones (National, Invercargill) and Wallbank (Labour, Gisborne) launch an anti-law-reform petition.

1985

March

20

Anti-reform petition taken over by Keith Hay and Peter Tait.

1985

March

18

AIDS Support Network Trust established.

1985

April

12

North Shore anti-gay meeting addressed by Pastor Richard Flynn and MP Geoff Braybrooke. Peter Wall ejected amid scenes of disruption.

1985

April

15

Rowdy Wellington Town Hall anti-law-reform meeting attracts about 1000. Anti-abortion lawyer Des Dalgety and Mt Roskill mayor Keith Hay deliberately stir up the largely (~600) lesbian/gay audience. A TV image of two women in the audience kissing is widely used as shorthand for the campaign.

1985

April

26

Submissions on the Bill close. More than 2000 are received.

1985

May

 

At a rally in Auckland Town Hall, a representative of the Maori and Pacific Island lesbian group Wahine Mo Nga Wahine o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa speaks.

1985

May

6

Lesbians and gays commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Holocaust at the National War Memorial, Wellington. Survivor Dr Edith Eger speaks.

1985

May

21

1400 attend "Bigot Busters" rally in Wellington Town Hall.

1985

May

24

5000 march through Wellington in support of law reform.

1985

May

24

2000 attend law reform rally in Auckland Town Hall

1985

May

24

ex-MP Marilyn Waring comes out.

1985

June

1

Bruce Burnett, AIDS pioneer, dies of AIDS-related lymphoma.

1985

June

 

Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays (HUG) formed in Auckland, then (June 22) Wellington.

1985

mid

 

National Gay and Lesbian Conference is designated "Bigot Busters" conference and devoted to tactics for passing the Wilde Bill.

1985

July

2

First public HUG meeting, Wellington Public Library lecture hall

1985

July

11

Coalition to Support the Bill formed in Wellington

1985

August

14

Fundamentalist organiser Lou Sheldon (California Traditional Family Values Coalition) visits. His North Shore meeting is disrupted.

1985

August

27

Public HUG meeting, Ngati Toa hall, Porirua, former All Black Ken Gray chairs.

1985

September

13

Nation-wide marches (~20,000 people) in support of the BIll.

1985

September

24

The "Nuremberg Rally" against Homosexual Law Reform on the steps of Parliament, when the petition with 810,000 signatures, only 350,000 validated, many bogus or coerced, was presented.

1985

early October

 

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens publishes "The Social Effects of Homosexuality in New Zealand, largely based on the flawed work of Paul Cameron. GTF publishes its rebuttal a week later.

1985

October

3

(US: Rock Hudson dies of AIDS complications.)

1985

October

7

Arson attempt on Gay Task Force HQ inWellington.

1985

October

8

The Bill is reported back from the Select Committee unchanged. The petition is reported back "without recommendation."

1985

October

9

Second Reading debate begins. Opponents try to filibuster.

1985

November

5

The body of Noel Stanley Robertson is found in Wellington Harbour after he listened to Parliament debating the Bill. Radio Windy says someone had had anal sex with him shortly before his death.

1985

November

13

Debate ends with 47-32 vote to discuss in Committee.

1985

December

 

"Circle" magazine marked "Lesbians only". Continues till 1986.

1986

 

 

"A Fair for a Fair Law," the first annual Lesbian and Gay Fair (the first of 10 organised by Des Smith) in Newtown, Wellington

1986

March

27

Age of consent of 16 retained by 41 votes to 36.

1986

April

16

Part 2 of the HLR Bill (outlawing discrimination) is watered down, then defeated 49-31.

1986

April

24

More amendments moved to the age of consent, but tactical delays give supporters the numbers to retain it.

1986

June

11

Hiki Tangi Mumauna Brown, 29, a glazier of Mirimar, is convicted of murdering Noel Stanley Robertson. He admitting kicking and smothering him after they met in an hotel and went together to the waterfront. He is sentenced to life imprisonment.

1986

June

 

Eve Van Grafthorst, a child with HIV, escapes to NZ from discrimination in Australia.

1986

June

 

(US: Supreme Court rules laws against sodomy constitutional.)

1986

July

2

Third Reading debate (normally a formality) begins. Opponents move closure but it is saved by one vote (43-42), that of George Gair, more on grounds of fairness than support.

1986

July

9

9.45pm. The Homosexual Law Reform Act (Part I) is passed by Parliament, 49 votes to 44, to cheers from the gallery.

 

Go on to Part 5

Go back to Chronology headings.

 

Compiled by Hugh Young.


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