NEW ZEALAND: Parliament To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage In Vote This Week

New Zealand's Parliament is expected to make its final vote to legalize same-sex marriage this week.

Labour MP Louisa Wall's marriage equality member's bill is due to have its third reading in Parliament on Wednesday night. The bill passed its committee stages with 77 votes to 43 last month and little change was anticipated for the final vote. Big crowds, including a few celebrities, were expected to be in Parliament's public gallery to witness the vote. Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan and her partner, Jools Joslin, will be there. They went to the court for the right to marry, but lost. Green MP Kevin Hague said there had been a groundswell of support not only from same-sex communities but from straight people as well. "I just feel enormously grateful to them because they have no personal stake in it, they just say this is the right thing to do."

Weddings should commence in mid-August. Zoom, zoom, zoom!