I do recall NZ passing a law a few decades back - trying to make it so that gay couples could get marriage benefits while religious bigots continued to fight th

I do recall NZ passing a law a few decades back - trying to make it so that gay couples could get marriage benefits while religious bigots continued to fight the idea of gay people having any legally recognized marriage, and essentially produced what I think America calls “common law marriage”? (Very much an “I think” issue here). But the wording of the law meant if you had the same flat/housemate for more than a couple of years they could claim half your property \o/