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Last Wednesday the New Zealand parliament voted to legalise gay marriage.

New Zealand was also one of the first countries to decriminalise homosexuality.

It was the first to give women the vote.

It’s already had its first transgender member of parliament.

What is it about this small island nation just across the ditch from Australia that makes it so progressive when it comes to human rights issues?

Rod Emerson, a cartoonist with the New Zealand Herald, is a professional observer of human nature.

I thought he might have some insights in all of to this.

ROD EMERSON: Ah, I don’t know, I’m not an anthropologist, but I think when you step back from all of these issues – because New Zealand is a very liberal thinking, forward thinking, and has a culture of high tolerance – I think when you step back and look at countries of similar size, they’ve all pretty well done the same thing.

Now I think New Zealand is, what, the 13th country to have passed this bill? When you look at the others – and I’m talking about countries like Belgium, the Netherlands – you know, they’re all a similar size to New Zealand.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: So you think it’s got something to do with size?

ROD EMERSON: Yeah, well I think so, because in small countries, you have to learn to live together. And New Zealand has a population of Sydney, you know it’s a very, very small country.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: What about Canada though?

ROD EMERSON: Yeah, well there are a couple of notable exceptions – Canada and Argentina – and of course, there’s a high degree of tolerance there as well. Look at the history of Canada, you’ve got so many different cultures all living in the one place, and which you have here in New Zealand as well. I think they’ve long learnt that we have to learn to live together and we have to learn to accept each other’s indifferences, you know?

And they’ve been doing this for years here, and as they have in other countries as well.

And I think that’s one of the things that – think one of the major cornerstones for New Zealand is the Maori culture. Cornerstones for Maori culture are, you know, things like respect and tolerance and racial harmony and forgiveness.

It’s one of the things that stunned me when I first came here 10 years ago, it was the high level of acceptance, of forgiveness, of racial harmony and respect for other communities, for other ways of life that come here. And I think that’s a great thing.

And that’s also the foundation that you’ve got to have in your community for a bill like this to pass through parliament. And when I look back at Australia, I don’t see – I don’t see it. Now is not the right time.

And you could probably go back to the Tampa incident, whenever that was. John Howard said at the time that these people would never set foot on Australian soil. And juxtaposed to that, Helen Clarke who was prime minister at the time, put her hand up and took those people and accepted them into the community here – fed them, put clothes on their back, educated them. And all of those people now are contributing to the community, and in a big way. You know, they’re doctors, they’re lawyers, they’re teachers. And she has said that that was the greatest moment in her career as a prime minister.

So there’s two trains of thought there. That’s the difference between Australia and New Zealand.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Is the New Zealand parliament as nasty and confrontational as the Australian one?

ROD EMERSON: Oh yeah, you know… I think so. It gets just as hostile as any other parliament.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: But that’s a bit of a performance, is it?

ROD EMERSON: Yeah, well, you know, those that hang around the corridors of parliament know that it’s mostly bluff. It’s what happens in the back rooms that makes a difference really.

But I thought that was quite a thing to watch parliament break into song after this bill was passed. And at the same time, I’m sort of flicking between channels and I’m watching Margaret Thatcher’s funeral (laughs), and you look in the church – the camera panned around the church – and you’ve got all these old dinosaurs sitting, and you think, “oh God, it’s a different world”, you know?

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Yes, it’s hard to imagine our Australian politicians breaking into song in Parliament House.

ROD EMERSON: No, I don’t think that would happen. But there’s a lot of things that they wouldn’t do either.

Every year here, the Treaty of Waitangi, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi is celebrated in any number of ways, but mostly up at the treaty grounds on the North Island here.

And every year, all the political leaders go up there and always led by the prime minister. And I couldn’t imagine, I mean could you imagine an Australian prime minister heading out to an Aboriginal settlement in central Australia and sitting around with tribal elders on a yearly basis? It just wouldn’t happen.

I think this is – it’s the respect and tolerance and racial harmony that everybody sticks to here. It’s the glue of the community.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: And does that extend beyond the politicians? Is it ordinary New Zealanders who embrace that as well?

ROD EMERSON: For the most part yes, absolutely.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: And is that different, do you think, to how Australia operates?

ROD EMERSON: Well, I haven’t experienced both in a big way. I’d have to say yes.

I mean, you still get your Beavis and Buttheads out there – every country has those. But by and large, New Zealanders are far more accepting and far more tolerant I would think than the average Aussie, and that’s OK.

I think what’s needed in Australia is you’ve got to have this, you have to have a good solid foundation. You also need a Black Caviar to come forward – someone that everyone respects and admires – and admit that they’re, announce “well look, I’m gay” and then put a private members bill through parliament and see what happens.

And I think, you know, the time is not right in Australia, and yet you’ve got such a large gay community in Australia. I think someone like Tony Abbott, his response last year was just appalling. To feel threatened by the gay community it’s… in what way? It’s huge question marks behind that.

Put a private members billed forward and do it for your sister, do it for your brother, do it for your father, cousin, do it for the guy that makes your coffee of a morning.

I think what Kiwis really don’t like is oppression. They don’t like to see people discriminated against. And neither do Australians either, but I mean it seems to be far more solid here than it is back home – at this stage, anyway.
Rod Emerson, cartoonist with the New Zealand Herald.

Author: Elizabeth Jackson
Publication: ABC News
Publication Date: April 21 2013