Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Gay marriage supporters march on Parliament

Updated at 7:21 pm on 20 October 2011

About 300 protesters marched on Parliament on Thursday in a bid to convince the Government to legalise same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt children.

Organisers of the Legalise Love protest say marriage offers more rights than civil unions, which gay couples have been able to enter into since 2004.

At present, gay, bisexual and transgender couples cannot adopt.

One of the speakers at the protest, Brooklynne Kennedy, says people are starting to feel the negative impacts of civil unions - especially when they want to start a family.

"A civil union is not the same as a marriage - it is its awkward and annoying cousin. It promises everything that a marriage offers and falls drastically short.

"Its failings not only affect the couple, but the entire family that may blossom from the beautiful union of two people."

Prime Minister John Key says changing adoption laws so that gay couples can adopt children is not a priority and the Government has other issues it has to deal with right now, including working hard on the economy and dealing with the Rena oil disaster.

Mr Key says his view is that it is more important that the parents love the child and can provide a good home life, rather than whether they are gay or straight.

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