New Zealand government's minority party introduces bill to define gender as biological

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Minority coalition partner New Zealand First introduced a bill to parliament on Tuesday that if enacted would define women and men by their biology, preventing trans women and men being recognised by law.

The populist New Zealand First member's bill is a longshot to become law as it has to be selected at random from a ballot and then garner majority support in parliament.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said in a statement that laws should reflect biological reality and provide legal certainty.

"The need for legislation like this shows how far the deluded left has taken us as a society. But we are fighting back," said Peters, who is also New Zealand's deputy prime minister.

New Zealand opposition leader Chris Hipkins told Stuff news that the gender bill was “typical populist politics” and that at a time when New Zealanders are struggling with the cost of living, job losses and a health system in crisis, this was not a priority.

The legislation the bill intends to amend sets out how terms and words commonly used in other legislation should be interpreted, such as "de facto partner".

The proposed law follows a ruling by Britain's highest court last Wednesday that only biological and not trans women meet the definition of a woman under equality laws. It was a landmark decision greeted with concern by trans supporters but welcomed by the government as bringing clarity.

The British ruling centred on whether a trans woman with a gender recognition certificate (GRC), a formal document giving legal recognition of someone's new gender, is protected from discrimination as a woman under Britain's Equality Act.

Transgender rights have become a highly political issue in many countries, with some critics saying the conservative right has weaponised identity politics to attack minority groups, while others argue that liberal support for transgender people has infringed on the rights of biological women.

In the United States, legal challenges are underway after President Donald Trump issued executive orders that include barring transgender people from military service.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Michael Perry)