Five GLBT MPs win in New Zealand election

[sonicx]

New Zealand will have a record number of openly LGBT parliamentarians after a knife’s-edge election last Saturday that saw the incumbent Labour Party win just one more seat than its National Party opposition.

At least five gay, lesbian or transgender politicians will sit in the new 122-member parliament, probably led by a minority Labour government.

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Openly gay Labour MP Tim Barnett, who helped steer NZ’s Civil Union legislation including same-sex couples through parliament, will return to Wellington. He will join another gay Labour MP, Chris Carter, and transgender Labour member Georgina Beyer.

Labour’s Maryan Street, the first NZ election candidate to campaign as an open lesbian, will also head to parliament.
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“But the most surprising first is that the National Party has an openly gay MP as well,” Bennachie said, referring to the success of first-time electoral candidate Chris Finlayson.

http://www.ssonet.com.au/display.asp?ArticleID=4698