A new poll has found majority support for the “Fair Access to Bathrooms Bill” which has been introduced as a private members bill to Parliament by NZ First.

The independent survey by Curia Market Research and commissioned by Family First NZ found that 56% of respondents support a requirement for all new public buildings to have male, female and unisex toilets. Only 26% (1 in 4) were opposed, and 18% were unsure.

Interestingly, support for the proposal had majority support based on political party vote at the last election from Green and Labour voters.

35% of respondents backed the 2nd provision of a fine for not using toilets that match your biological sex, with 46% opposed.

The bill has two main provisions:

* A building code requirement for all new non-residential (public use) buildings to have single sex toilets for males and females, and a unisex toilet

* A maximum $2,000 fine for using a toilet not of your designated biological sex

NZ First said that the bill was primarily in the interest and safety of women and girls, and about finding a balance between fair inclusion and fairness for all.

Last week, the UK government announced that new restaurants, public toilets, shopping centres and offices in England will be required to have separate male and female toilets under proposed legislation as part of a push "ending the rise" of gender-neutral toilets. A consultation highlighted concerns from women, elderly and disabled people who felt "unfairly disadvantaged" by toilets being converted into gender neutral facilities sharing cubicles and sinks.

Labour spokesperson Shanan Halbert said that for the law to be workable, we would need a “gender register which we don’t currently have.” This is incorrect. We do have a 'gender register'. It's called a birth certificate which now allows for ‘gender identity’. Labour can now support the bill.

“This poll shows there is significant support for a bill despite the wholesale attack on it by the media since the bill was announced. Contrary to that coverage, this bill does not ban unisex toilets, doesn’t fine people for using a unisex toilet, is not an attack on anyone’s mana, and does not ‘fine people who use public bathrooms and are not of the designated sex’,” says Bob McCoskrie, CEO of Family First.

“What it does do is treat everyone with dignity and respect, and will remove the concerns and privacy of particularly women and young girls.”

[The poll was conducted by Curia Market Research Ltd for Family First. It is a random poll of 1,000 adult New Zealanders and is weighted to the overall adult population. It was conducted by phone (landlines and mobile) and online between 12 May and 14 May 2024, has a maximum margin of error of +/- 3.1. The full results are at FamilyFirst.nz]

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