OPINION: Conversion therapy.
Gay conversion therapy still exists in some of the more extremist churches. This is total fringe stuff.
But it is out there - this idea that the church gets hold of a young gay person and tells them how wrong it is to be gay and manipulate their thinking; pushing them, prodding them, and attempting to ear bash them to the "safety" of heterosexuality where everything will suddenly be OK again.
What utter codswallop.
Religious freedoms are important but not at the expense of turning young people into suicidal messes because they might be gay.
How on earth can some creepy practice like this still be lawful in modern times? Kick it to touch.
That's exactly what the Government wants to do and I thought National was with them, but it seems there is more to discuss in the National caucus which has a number of deeply conservative church-going MPs.
Before the election, leader Judith Collins said sexual orientation was a private and personal thing, yet National is also on record saying it has no position or no comment.
Impossible.
Anyway, late on Wednesday night, Collins updated her statement. She says neither she nor the party supports "coercion or breaching people's rights to self determine their sexual orientation".
National told us it will be discussed at their caucus meeting next week but the Government needs to front up with draft legislation.
And the Government does need to front up - everyone needs to get on with it.
Duncan Garner hosts The AM Show.
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