|
1986 |
July |
11 |
Governor General signs Homosexual Law Reform Act into law. |
|
1986 |
August |
8 |
The Homosexual Law Reform Act comes into effect. The sky does not fall. |
|
1986 |
September |
11 |
The Gay and Lesbian Archive (later LAGANZ) is damaged by arson. |
|
1987 |
April |
11 |
The Governor General, Sir Paul Reeves, opens the Äwhina [HIV/AIDS] Clinic (later Centre), Wellington, in a dawn ceremony. |
|
1987 |
August |
|
Wellington City Council grants same-sex partners of bus-drivers the same free-passes as opposite-sex partners. |
|
1987 |
October |
6 |
NZ Gay Task Force rejects an invitation to host the 1998 International Lesbian and Gay Association conference because the whites-only Gay Association of South Africa is invited. |
|
1987 |
November |
19 |
"Normal" Norman Jones MP (National, Awarua)most vehement opponent of law reform ("I have tunnel vision about sodomy.") dies of a brain tumour. |
|
1987 |
May |
|
Wellington lesbian newsletter, "Glad Rag" begins |
|
1987 |
|
|
Homosexual Law Reform Society dissolves, donates its files to LAGANZ |
|
1987 |
|
|
Trevor Barnard stands as an openly gay candidate for the NZ Democratic party in Eastern Hutt. |
|
1988 |
Late |
|
Gay Community Centre opens at Evergreen coffee lounge, Wellington (closes June 22, 1990) |
|
1989 |
|
|
Crimes Act incorporates HLR Act amendments. |
|
1989 |
Good Friday |
|
Tom McLean, author of "If I Should Die" dies of AIDS complications in Wellington. |
|
1989 |
Easter |
|
Last (to date) National Gay and Lesbian Conference held in Auckland |
|
1989 |
September |
|
Gay motorbike club formed. Became Mercury Motorbike Club in October. |
|
1990 |
July |
|
Last issue of Pink Triangle published. |
|
1991 |
May |
1 |
Man to Man (later express), first national gay newspaper, begins publication. (Tabloid format from June 26, 1992) |
|
1991 |
July |
15 |
Auckland Star attacks Auckland Gay and Lesbian Youth receiving lottery grant to visit schools. Auckland Star folds soon after. |
|
1991 |
November |
|
Rev. David Bromell (ordained as a Baptist minister) now openly gay, seeks recognition by ("full connexion with") the Methodist Church. |
|
1991 |
December |
7 |
First Devotion party (Wellington) |
|
1991 |
|
|
First Hero party (Auckland) |
|
1992 |
April |
24 |
Four-weekly women-only "Sheilas Arms" nights begin in New Plymouth |
|
1993 |
July |
29 |
The Human Rights Commission Amendment Act, outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation ("heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or lesbian") or HIV, is passed by Parliament after only 1 1/2 days of debate but intensive lobbying. It exempts the Government until December 31, 1999 |
|
1993 |
April |
|
Taranaki Lesbian Newsletter published (first since 1982), funded by the Lavender Ladies social group and the Suffrage Centennial Trust |
|
1993 |
December |
23 |
Chris Carter (Labour, Te Atatu) comes out soon after his election, the first openly gay MP |
|
1994 |
January |
|
First gay massage parlour, Buddies, opens in Wellington. |
|
1994 |
February |
|
Witi Ihimaera launches first gay novel by an established author, "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" |
|
1994 |
September |
28 |
Tom O'Donoghue, long-term AIDS activist, dies of AIDS complications. |
|
1994 |
November |
27 |
Arthur Tauhore, artiste extraordinaire, dies of AIDS complications during the third Devotion party. |
|
1994 |
December |
|
High Court rules that post-operative transsexuals can marry in their adopted sex. |
|
1994 |
May |
|
First National Lesbian Studies conference |
|
1994 |
July |
|
First annual Stonewall Ball in Taranaki. |
|
1995 |
April |
22 |
Tai Tahi Marsters bashes Jim Curtis in Napier leaving him brain-damaged. |
|
1995 |
October |
21 |
Georgina Beyer, a transexual, is elected Mayor of Carterton |
|
1995 |
November |
5 |
Martin Dickson is the first openly gay man to be licenced as a Presbyterian minister. |
|
1995 |
May |
|
Lesbians On The Land set up at the second National Lesbian Studies Conference. |
|
1996 |
January |
|
Judith Tizard MP (Labour, Panmure) proposes legalising same-sex marriage. |
|
1996 |
February |
5 |
"express report" (later "Out There") a regular gay and lesbian TV news programme, first broadcast. |
|
1996 |
February |
22 |
Gay Association of Professionals (GAP) formed in Wellington |
|
1996 |
March |
5 |
Census. The forms are constructed to be able to count same-sex partners. |
|
1996 |
March |
|
Tai Tahi Marsters acquitted of attempted murder and causing Jim Curtis grievous bodily harm using "homosexual panic" (homophobic panic) defence. |
|
1996 |
April |
24-6 |
High Court hearing of application by three lesbian couples for a ruling on legality of their applications to marry. |
|
1996 |
May |
30 |
High Court rules in common law "marriage" means mixed couples, any change is for Parliament. Minister of Justice Doug Graham declines to make such a change. |
|
1996 |
mid |
|
The Topp Twins (as Camp Mother and Camp Leader) have their own TV series |
|
1996 |
July |
5 |
Presbyterian Church rules that lesbian and gay people may not be licenced or ordained as elders or ministers or put in positions of leadership. The decision is also referred back to churches for a decision in two years. |
|
1996 |
July |
18 |
Singer Shona Laing comes out in express newspaper as "bisexual" but in a relationship with a woman and "didn't ever want to be with a man again". |
|
1996 |
August |
|
Gays and Lesbians in Business (GLIB) formed in Christchurch |
|
1996 |
October |
12 |
First MMP General Election. Openly gay MP Chris Carter (Labour, Te Atatu) defeated, but Tim Barnett (Labour, Christchurch Central), first to campaign as openly gay, elected. The Christian Coalition fails to pass the 5% threshold (gets 4.3%) and gains no seats in Parliament |
|
1997 |
February |
22 |
Hero Parade is broadcast by TV 3 |
|
1997 |
March |
26 |
Äwhina Centre badly damaged by fire. Arson is suspected. The Mein St property is abandoned and the centre finds new premises in Tory St. |
|
1997 |
March - April |
|
Tim Barnett and Chris Carter form Gay & Lesbian Labour Party branches in Christchurch and Auckland |
|
1997 |
April |
13 |
Lesbian Alyson Murrie-West is licenced as a Presbyterian minister in St Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington. |
|
1997 |
May |
|
"Homosexual panic" defence fails when Bryan James Gardner is convicted of murdering David Shore after visiting two gay bars and going back to Shore's hotel room with him. |
|
1997 |
May |
7 |
World's first Intersex Centre opened in Wellington. The Intersex Society of NZ (Aotearoa) was founded by Mani Bruce Mitchell. |
|
1997 |
mid |
|
Government cuts off funding to Consistency 2000, the Human Rights Commission’s investigation into discriminatory legislation. |
|
1997 |
September |
|
Auckland City Council refuses to fund Hero parade. Organisers asked $32,000 to cover barriers and cleanup, promotions committee recommended half that. |
|
1997 |
October |
28 |
(Sydney: Richard Leonard is convicted of killing gay ex-Aucklander Stephen Dempsey with a crossbow. The jury takes five days to reject a "homosexual panic" defence.) |
|
1997 |
November |
12 |
(9.50pm) openly gay Rev. David Bromell is "received into full connexion" (ordained) with the Methodist Church |
|
1997 |
December |
17 |
Court of Appeal turns down three lesbian couples' appeal against High Court ruling against same-sex marriage |
|
1998 |
January |
1 |
Transsexual Jacqui Grant (the "Tranny Granny") of Moana, West Coast, made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM) for her work with children. |
|
1998 |
April |
9 |
Paula Boock's novel of teenage lesbian awakening, Dare, Truth or Promise, wins NZ Post Children's Book Award. Fundies outraged. |
|
1998 |
May |
|
Government announces a Human Rights Amendment that will prolong the Government’s exemption from the Human Rights Commission Act indefinitely. |
|
1998 |
July |
|
Camp Mother (Lynda Topp) announces her candidacy for Auckland mayoralty against anti-Hero Les Mills. (She withdraws two weeks before the election.) |
|
1998 |
July |
10 |
Presbyterian General Assembly bans ordination of "practising" gay men or lesbians for one year, forbids asking applicants their orientation, silences discussion of the topic. |
|
1998 |
July |
|
Labour Relations Bill introduced, granting same-sex partners leave for partners' sickness. |
|
1998 |
July |
|
Defacto Property Bill introduced, regularising disposal of property on death or separation of unmarried couples, but not same-sex ones. An amendment is moved to include them. |
|
1998 |
August |
5 |
Hamilton District Court rules a lesbian liable for maintenance of a child born to her ex-partner during their relationship. No corresponding custody rights. |
|
1998 |
August |
19 |
Government (a National minority as of the previous day) introduces Human Rights Amendment saying it will bring Government into line with HRC Act - with some exceptions. |
|
1988 |
October |
12 |
(Laramie, Wyoming, US. Death of Matthew Shepard from gaybashing, provoking international grief and outrage.) |
|
1988 |
October |
22 |
NZ Navy announces gay-friendly policy, including issue of pink triangle stickers to mark "safe places". |
|
1998 |
November |
26 |
Government Bill to amend Human Rights Commission Act officially abolishing Consistency 2000 defeated. |
|
1998 |
November |
27 |
Auckland City Council under new Mayor Christine Fletcher grants $15,000 for Hero Parade cleanup |
|
1998 |
December |
5 |
This Chronicle's most recent update. |
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