"I was sent to a counsellor who told me that I could change my sexuality ... if you have people who are telling you that you need to change something which is actually fundamental to who you are, it does do lasting damage."
Paul Stevens has first-hand experience of so-called conversion "therapy" - the harmful practice of trying to change someone's sexuality - first hand, but moves to ban it so far have seen confusion and division envelop both Labour and National.
Justice Minister Kris Faafoi introduced the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill last Friday.
Justice Minister Kris Faafoi Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod
The bill creates a pathway for civil redress, as well as two new criminal offences:
- Up to three years in prison for performing conversion practices on people under 18 years old or with impaired decision-making capacity
- Up to five years for conducting conversion practices that cause serious harm
In an interview just hours later however Faafoi struggled to explain it, and did not rule out parents being criminalised for preventing their children from taking hormone blockers.
It was a communications blunder that recalled his disastrous approach to hate speech legislation, and has commentators questioning whether he's just had enough.
Faafoi himself believes he has been clear enough in selling the bill's intention.
"I think we've made it clear what the intent of the bill [is], it's to make sure we're preventing harm."
The bill is no godsend for National either.
Read more:
- Former victim of gay conversion therapy lauds government's move to ban it
- Conversion therapy ban legislation passes first reading at Parliament
- Young Nats break with party over conversion therapy vote
- The trip wires in legislation banning conversion therapy
- ACT, National warn of conversion therapy bill 'risk'
Leader Judith Collins signalled in April the party supported a ban, but ahead of its first reading on Thursday justice spokesperson Simon Bridges said the party would not back it without changes, a move that prompted outcry from the party's youth wing.
Political commentator and National Party member Liam Hehir says social issues will always be a sore spot for the party because of its very nature.
"The National Party ... it's a conservative party and a liberal party so there's not going to be a high degree of consensus ... that's just an outcome of being a big-tent party of a broad-church party."
Chris Penk - one of National's more conservative MPs - argues clarity from the minister and in the bill is what is needed.
"If the minister Kris Faafoi can do a better job of understanding and explaining his own bill that will give us more comfort and certainly if there's a willingness to listen and to change as needed."
Those proposed changes are also contentious however, and won't rid National of its divide.
Regardless, Labour with its majority will pass the law and the select committee should iron out problems in the legislation.
Conversion therapists RNZ contacted declined to speak on record and took offence to the suggestion they would be affected by the new law, despite openly advertising the practice.
In today's Focus on Politics podcast, political reporter Katie Scotcher explores how Labour and National have both struggled to get their message across over legislation banning gay conversion therapy, a practice described as monstrous and traumatising.
Listen free to Focus on Politics on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts.
