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National Party list MP Claudette Hauiti has made her debut as a marriage celebrant.
The wedding at Whareroa Marae in Tauranga was on the same day that Australia had its first same sex weddings.
"The two brides, Matarere Stockman-Noble and Debbie Noble, have been together for quite some time and although they had a civil union on Whareroa Marae previously, this will be their first legalised marriage under the new Marriage Act. So that was a historic occasion for me, because it was my first takatapui wedding under the new legislation, and also too for the marae," Ms Hauiti says.
Saturday’s wedding in Tauranga could be much longer lasting than those over the Tasman – on Thursday the Australian High Court will rule on a challenge by Tony Abbott’s federal government against the constitutional validity of the Australian Capital Territory’s new Marriage Equality Same Sex Marriage Act.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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