An MP has apologized for voting against same-sex marriage after his son came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
According to a report from 1 News, Nick Smith, a New Zealand politician, apologized for his stance toward gay marriage during his last speech before retiring.
“The error is all the more personal with my 20-year-old son, who is gay,” he said. “I want to put on record today my apology to New Zealand’s LGBT+ community.”
Smith is a member of the center-right National Party and was the longest-serving MP in New Zealand.
In an interview with 1 News, Smith opened up about the impact that his son had on his views and politics.
“Already at that time, I felt my views were wrong. I gave him a commitment that before I retired from Parliament I would give that apology publicly,” Smith explained.
“When Logan first told me, we went out for a meal, and he had something important to tell me. I was worried it was something else so when he told me he was gay we had a big laugh and a big hug.”
Logan, Smith’s son, also spoke with 1 News and revealed that coming out to his father was never a worry, stating that “he knew he had changed his views already.”
He then went on to say that it’s important for people to showcase their ability to change their views and learn.
“I’m really proud of him. I think it’s just important to demonstrate people can learn and their views can change,” he said.
Watch the full speech below.
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