The select committee recommendations on the Relationships (Statutory References) Bill ought to mollify the concerns of most critics - and if it doesn't, it would be fair to wonder what their motives are in the first place. Clear daylight has been established between the rights and obligations attached on one hand to marriage and civil unions, and on the other to de facto relationships. The language used to refer to civil unions is now to be clearly distinct from that referring to marriage.
Also, the gnarlier questions on treatment of de facto relationships will be referred to the Law Commission before the final bill is drafted. The full report is here as a PDF and Tim Barnett summarises it in detail here.
Unsurprisingly, Stephen Franks summoned his usual mighty wind in response, issuing a lengthy checklist whose effect, oddly, would be to considerably expand the scope of the bill. Among other things, he demands that the section of the Human Rights Act offering protection against discrimination on grounds of marital status be repealed. Like I said: motives.
Meanwhile, extreme civil unions opponent Garnet Milne dishes up a long and crazed comment on Georgina Beyer's bid for human rights protection for transsexuals and its links to "UN-sanctioned paganism". Here's the background on the psychologist he quotes.
A fine post on Dog Biting Men addresses Muriel Newman's campaign against political correctness - and in the process, conclusively nails the playdough issue. Recommended reading.
New Zealand's performance on child poverty has improved slightly but remains lamentable, although Unicef has accepted the government's claims that its new family support package will reduce child poverty by 70% by 2007. You can argue - and plenty of people will - that what these studies measure is actually income inequality, but what happened in this country after the 1991 benefit cuts remains a blight.
Should you be looking for more on the Michael Jackson case, The Smoking Gun offers exhaustive and well-written coverage. But pace yourself: this thing is going to run for six months …
The US State Department's annual report finds torture, rape and illegal detentions carried out under the interim Iraqi government. Bugger.
A story in Britain's Sunday Herald revealing that a 2001 report claiming that the use of depleted uranium in munitions posed a serious long-term health risk was withheld from publication by the World Health Organisation raises a horrifying prospect for the future of Iraq. Although the author claims the WHO was pressured to suppress the report, the organisation says it was simply rejected by an expert panel. This may well be true - there is substantial disagreement on the DU issue - but the fact that any expert opinion holds that the use of such weapons could cause generational health problems should be cause for concern. This blog presses the case, with many links.
And, finally, yes, it is safe to go back to the Grey Lynn Bowling Club. Thanks to the kind support of our sponsors, Karajoz Coffee Company, we're having another event: Public Address Great Blend 2, Sunday March 13, 4pm, Grey Lynn Bowling Club, 112 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, Auckland.
The event will feature a discussion panel comprised of TV3's John Campbell, Frontseat producer Gemma Gracewood, 95bFM news director Noelle McCarthy and our own Damian Christie; plus a performance from The Checks. As usual, it's free, and you can RSVP by clicking here. I very much look forward to seeing you.
PS: No post from me tomorrow - I'm in Wellington making radio and gatecrashing parties - but there will be another excellent instalment in the Great New Zealand Argument series for your edification and enjoyment. Do pop in.