Buggery or sodomy became illegal in New Zealand when the country became part of the British Empire in 1840 and adopted English law making male homosexual acts punishable by death.

Sexual practices between women have never been legally prohibited in New Zealand, but all anal intercourse, including heterosexual, continued to be prior to the 1986 Act.

[citation needed] Shortly afterward the Dorian Society and later the Wolfenden Association were formed to campaign for legalisation of male homosexual sex.

[3][9] Although Part II did not make it into the final version of the bill, its provisions were eventually enacted into law seven years later by the New Zealand Human Rights Act 1993.

[12][13] The bill was subject to substantial debate and faced fierce opposition from the Salvation Army, as well as Christian political activists such as Keith Hay, Peter Tait and politicians such as Norman Jones (National MP for Invercargill).

[15][16] Despite the Coalition of Concerned Citizens threatening electoral reprisals, the Fourth Labour Government was re-elected for a second term of office, losing only one constituency seat to the National Party Opposition in 1987.

In accordance with surveys conducted amongst its membership, the Salvation Army continued to oppose law reform, including same-sex marriage in New Zealand, but later expressed regret for the hurt that its participation in the petition had caused.