A law change allowing gay couples to adopt children isn't going on the government's agenda, Prime Minister John Key says.
Young members of the National Party are pushing for an overhaul of the Adoption Act and two MPs, one National and one Green, are drafting a member's bill to change the law.
Mr Key says if the bill is drawn from the ballot and comes up for debate in parliament, he will vote for it on its first reading.
"I'm not bothered if there's gay adoption," he told reporters.
"I think it's more about whether a child is loved than the sexuality of the parents."
But Mr Key says the government has much more important issues to deal with, like economic growth.
"If the member's bill is drawn I will vote for it to go to a select committee and there will be a conscience vote," he said.
"But the government isn't going to put it on its work programme - in truth, it's not a big enough issue."
The Adoption Act says only a married couple can apply to adopt.
Young National's president Daniel Fielding told NZ Newswire the legislation is "archaic" and treated children as if they were chattels.
A remit supporting adoption by gay couples was passed at Young National's northern regional conference at the weekend.
News home