a private member's bill sponsored by lesbian Labour MP Louisa Wall that would legalise same sex marriage was passed by Parliament, 77 votes to 44. The bill received Royal Assent from the Governor-General on 19 April and took effect on 19 August 2013. In the first year after the law came into effect, 926 same-sex marriages were registered in New Zealand, including 532 marriages (57.5%) between New Zealand citizens, and 237 marriages (25.6%) between Australian citizens. Samoa Samoa is a deeply conservative Christian nation. In 2012, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi was dismissive of the idea of same-sex marriage being adopted in Samoa, and indicated that he would not support it. He reiterated this position, on explicitly religious grounds, in March 2013. Religious recognition The religious status of same-sex marriage has been changing since the late 20th century and varies greatly among different world religions. Among Christian churches, same-sex marriage is not recognized by the Roman Catholic church, Orthodox churches, or conservative Protestant churches. Many mainline Protestant churches recognize same-sex unions, while other Protestant churches remain divided. Among Jewish communities, Reform Jewish communities are the most supportive of same-sex unions, while Conservative Jewish communities are more divided. Same-sex marriage is not recognized by Orthodox Jewish communities. Recognized Some religious institutions that recognize same-sex relationships avoid using the terms "marriages" or "weddings", and instead call them "blessings" or "unions." Some religious groups allow individual congregations to set their own policies regarding the blessing of same-sex relationships. The following institutions have recognized same-sex relationships in some fashion, either as individual congregations or as a denomination-wide policy: Christianity The following denominations accept same-sex unions to some degree: Anglicanism (See Homosexuality and Anglicanism): The Anglican Communion is divided over the issue of homosexuality. "The more liberal provinces that are open to changing Church doctrine on marriage in order to allow for same-sex unions include Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, South India, South Africa, the US and Wales." Anglican Church in New Zealand: In 2014, the "General Synod passe[d] a resolution that will create a pathway towards the blessing of same-gender relationships, while upholding the traditional doctrine of marriage...It therefore says clergy should be permitted [while the blessings are being developed] 'to recognise in public worship' a same-gender civil union or state marriage of members of their faith community..." On a diocesan level, the Dunedin Diocese already permits a blessing for relationships irrespective of the