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Overview
This Order of Service is from the wedding of Paul McCarthy and Trent Kandler, an Australian couple who won an all-expenses-paid same-sex wedding in Wellington in 2013. The competition was organised by Tourism New Zealand in order to mark the Marriage Equality Act, and to promote New Zealand as a destination for gay weddings to the Australian market. The wedding, which as made possible by 23 sponsors, was held on the marae at Te Papa on 19 August, 2013, the day that the New Zealand Marriage Equality Act came into force. It was one of 31 same sex marraiges that took place that day.
The Marriage Equality Act
The Marriage Equality bill was put forward by Louisa Wall, Labour MP for Manurewa, and passed on its third reading with 77 votes to 44. The bill was signed by the Governor General on Friday 19 April 2013. The new definition of marriage in the Act defines it as 'the union of two people, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity'.
Australia vs New Zealand
Kevin Bowler, the Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand said at the time of the wedding competition , that they saw the passing of the Act 'as a great opportunity to promote one of the differences between New Zealand and Australia'. Following the wedding ceremony Mr Kandler commented: 'We didn't really think it would ever happen in Australia so we resigned ourselves to the fact that we'd never marry. So thank you New Zealand'. This rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, which focused on which was the most progressive country, played out in the media across both nations.