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| New Zealand legalises same-sex marriage | New Zealand legalises same-sex marriage |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| New Zealand's parliament has legalised same-sex marriage, the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. | New Zealand's parliament has legalised same-sex marriage, the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. |
| Lawmakers approved the bill on Wednesday, amending the country's 1955 marriage act. | Lawmakers approved the bill on Wednesday, amending the country's 1955 marriage act. |
| The bill was passed with a wide majority, with 77 votes in favour and 44 against. | The bill was passed with a wide majority, with 77 votes in favour and 44 against. |
| Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated outside parliament after the bill was passed, calling it a milestone for equality. | Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated outside parliament after the bill was passed, calling it a milestone for equality. |
| However, there had been strong opposition from Christian lobby groups. | |
| Opinion polls have suggested that about 70% of New Zealanders supported the reform. | |
| Parliamentarians were allowed a conscience vote, and, crucially, the reform had the backing of both the conservative Prime Minister John Key and the leader of the opposition, the BBC's Phil Mercer in Sydney reports. | |
| Celebrations have been held in pubs and clubs in the capital Wellington, our correspondent adds. | |
| Tania Bermudez and Sonja Fray, a same-sex couple, said the bill was about human rights. | |
| "It means that we can actually call each other wife," Ms Fray said. | |
| However, Conservative Party leader Colin Craig said there were many people who disagreed with the bill. | |
| "We're seeing the politicians make a decision tonight that the people of this country wouldn't make," he said. | |
| Lobby group Protect Marriage had also launched an online campaign, saying the change would undermine the traditional concept of marriage. | |
| Other countries who have legalised gay marriage include the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa and Argentina. |