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Civil unions divide small town

Apr 8, 2005 6:51 PM

The plans of a civil union celebrant to officiate over one of the first civil unions have run into opposition in her small Waikato town of Te Aroha.

While the Department of Internal Affairs has recently appointed more than 500 people as civil union celebrants, the idea of the ceremonies being held in Te Aroha has caused a local uproar. 

The town's name - which literally translates to Mountain of Love - has been promoted as a wedding destination and Te Aroha wedding celebrant Wanda Brittain wanted to perform one of the first civil union ceremonies between two men.

However, when her plans went public there was a flurry of letters to local paper, The Piako Post.

"It's been pretty divisive as far as the letters to the editor column...this has really got people talking," says editor Warwick Rasmussen.

Brittain says she suffered some of the backlash.

"I did get a somewhat unpleasant phone call - that was not very nice, and I suppose it was a bit upsetting," says Brittain.

Brittain is one of more than 500 new civil union celebrants. Most, like Wanda, already conduct marriages and some are church ministers.

Anglican priest Keith King says he and his partner, Hilton Topia, are planning their own civil union soon.

"I can enable same-sex couples to formalise their relationships in a way that's recognised by society, and I think that's important," says King.

However many celebrants still oppose the new state-approved partnerships.

"I don't see that there's any justification in recognising in this sort of formal way what can only be described as a very deep friendship," says marriage celebrant Tony Finnigan.

The first civil union ceremonies will start at the end of the April.