Aust., U.S. funds for anti-gays?

Press, 3 July 1985, Page 29

Aust., U.S. funds for anti-gays?

PA Wellington Right-wing groups overseas may be funding the anti-homosexual campaign in New Zealand, the Gay Task Force has claimed. A spokesman, Mr Bill Logan, said the organisation had “no evidence but a strong suspicion” that opponents of the Homosexual Law Reform Bill were getting financial help from Australia and the United States. Mr Logan was speaking at a press conference to announce the departure of a Gay Task Force member, Ms Alison Laurie, to the International Gay Conference in Toronto. Mr Logan said it was clear that anti-homosexual reform campaigners had been getting substantial amounts of material and possible financial help from ultra-conservative and fundamentalist organisations overseas. Part of the object of Ms Laurie’s trip would be to see that overseas people had a clear picture of what was going on in New Zealand, and “to find out more about the sources of antigay campaigners internationally,” he said. The Gay Task Force has put up $3OOO to send Ms Laurie to the week-long

conference. She will also visit similar organisations in Europe. Mr Logan said the last few months had seen a definite move of public opinion in favour of homosexual law reform. “Three times as many people are supporting the kina of reform we want than when we started our campaign,” he said. “There is no doubt that Parliament is going to do something about the present law,” he said.