WELLINGTON, Feb 15 (Reuters) – New Zealand’s parliament on Tuesday near-unanimously passed a legislation that bans practices intended to forcibly change a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, known as conversion therapy. The bill, which was introduced by the government last year, passed with 112 votes in favour and eight votes opposed. “This is a great day for New Zealand’s rainbow communities,” Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi said. “Conversion practices have no place in modern New Zealand.” The government has said practices such as conversion therapy do not work, are widely discredited and cause harm.