Joe Nieddu, 23, says he was shocked and appalled by the driver's attitude.

A Wellington taxi driver who told a passenger he needed "God's help" because he was gay will face no disciplinary action.

Joe Nieddu laid a complaint with Capital Taxis after he was left "disgusted" by a female driver's comment once she discovered he was gay.

"[She] proceed[ed] to tell me how being gay is wrong, how I need to pray to God for forgiveness, how God can help me through this," he said in his complaint.

MAARTEN HOLL/FAIRFAX NZ The Wellington youth worker fears others will be subjected to the experience he had with Capital Taxis, when a driver told him to ask for God's forgiveness for being gay.

Nieddu caught a Capital Taxis cab from Willis St in Wellington, to Victoria University on Wednesday morning.

READ MORE:

* Taxi driver complaints include sexual misconduct, drugs, assault on special needs passenger

* Abuse, assaults and entitlement- it's all in a day's work​

* Disabled Air Force veteran dumped by Hamilton taxi on busy road

* Gay man's daughter not welcome at Australian Christian school

He was talking on the phone to his partner as he got in the cab, so the driver heard him say "ok babe, I love you, have a good day."

MAARTEN HOLL/ FAIRFAX NZ Nieddu laid a complaint with Capital Taxis after he was left "disgusted" by a female driver's comment

Nieddu said he told the taxi driver where he wanted to go, and they started making small talk.

"She was asking about my partner, how long we had been together. She asked 'what's her name?' and I said, 'no, no, his name'."

According to Nieddu the driver's face dropped, and she asked him if he knew "how wrong that was".

She went on to say being gay was not right, and he needed to pray to get rid of his sins, Nieddu said.

He told the driver to stop the car, and got out.

Capital Taxis managing director Tim Lau said the comments were not discrimination and the company would not be taking disciplinary action against the driver.

"As far as we are concerned there's no legal requirement for us to tell drivers what to say."

If a passenger believed comments were offensive they needed to "complain to the person they're offended by", he said.

"She [the driver] was expressing something that's entirely her opinion but he didn't ask her to stop. He didn't do anything to try and alleviate the situation.

"It's up to him to say he's not happy with it. People with feelings are hurt all the time. No law has been broken."

The Human Rights Commission has said a customer's sexuality has nothing to do with the person providing them with a service.

"This passenger was wanting a ride from the taxi driver, he wasn't asking for salvation from the taxi driver," spokeswoman Christine Ammunson said.

"If anyone believes they have been treated less favourably because of a prohibited ground of discrimination when they have been in receipt of goods or services they can complain to the Commission and we can consider whether to offer mediation and dispute resolution services in the usual manner to help resolve the matter."

Nieddu said he had developed a thick skin after being openly gay for eight years - but he was worried the woman had no idea what impact her comments might have on others.

"I know so many people, gay guys who are in the closet, or had families kick them out, comments like that would have been the last comment they heard.

"When I was coming out of the closet it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do ... there's people who are going through that situation [and those] words are going to affect them so much.

"Myself, I couldn't care, I just don't want it to happen to other people ...

I've been openly gay for eight years, I have never received comments like that.

"It's disgusting - that lady can get away with discriminating her customers for being gay," he said.

Lau said he had spoken with Nieddu: "I have told him what I told you, whether he's satisfied, I have no idea."

In Lau's official response to Nieddu, he said: " I'm very sorry but I cannot enforce any kind of disciplinary action just because you didn't like what the driver was saying. Her "opinion" on any subject is her own and if you do not wish to hear it then it is up to you to inform her. Since you did not then there is no cause of action."

* Comments on this article have now closed.

Sign up to receive our new evening newsletter Two Minutes of Stuff - the news, but different.