Family Integrity » Section 59 – MPs

Public meeting in Christchurch tonight 21 September 2009

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:00:19 +0000

Hi All,

Public meeting in Christchurch concerning the Anti-Smacking Law, see below for details.

Unity for Liberty encourages all folk to attend these public meetings when they are in your area, I attended the first meeting in Auckland and found it extremely rewarding.

If you are able could you please forward these details on to any friends who may be in the area.

Regards

Craig Hill

021746113

We have organised our next Public Meeting;

John Boscawen has challenged Clayton Cosgrove to attend. 27000 voted No in his electorate of Waimakariri and 16000 voted for him in the last General election… John is also inviting Kate Wilkinson, the National List MP.

The details are

Monday 21 September, 7.30 p.m. St. Bede’s College, Performing Arts Centre, 210 Main North Road, Papanui, Christchurch City

SPEAKERS INCLUDE

John Boscawen, ACT M.P., David Garrett, ACT M.P., Larry Baldock, Leader of the Kiwi Party and Referendum Organiser. Other speakers to be advised.

For details of future meetings

Email kbridgman@xtra.co.nz

Or phone 09 531 5531

The Message is Clear…Decriminalise Light Smacking

admin — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:01:42 +0000

The Message is Clear…

Decriminalise

Light Smacking

WOULD YOU CONSIDER TAKING 2 MINUTES TO SEND AN IMPORTANT EMAIL?

Tomorrow morning, and in response to the whopping 88% who voted NO in the Referendum, John Key will be going to Cabinet to recommend ‘increased safeguards’, guidelines and ‘a level of comfort’ for parents under the anti-smacking law. But the Referendum wasn’t about ‘recommendations’, ‘guidelines’ or ‘comfort’ – it was about a law change .

As the law stands, a light smack is a criminal offence subject to whether the police agree it was ‘inconsequential’ and then whether CYF agree that you’re not an abusive parent (only after an investigation that may require your children to be removed temporarily). We’ve documented many cases where this interpretation would be completely different to what you and I would think ( see here).

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO EMAIL THE MEMBERS OF CABINET

Almost all of these Ministers were in Opposition when the law was passed and actively lobbyed against the law change until they were ‘whipped’ to support the compromise - some even helped collect signatures and promoted the need for a Referendum! It’s not about John Key’s view – it’s about Cabinet listening to the almost 90% who voted NO in the Referendum

Step 1 : Simply highlight all emails, copy and paste in a new email.

Step 2 : Write a simply message which starts with something like
“Decriminalise Light Smacking – Please hear the voice of the 88% who voted against the anti-smacking law….” And then, if you want, add any additional comments – but at all times, PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL!

Use this as a guide:

(Write to John Key now: http://familyintegrity.org.nz/2009/family-integrity-473-write/_)

Step 3: Press SEND!

Thank you. Your voice really does count.

Kind regards

Bob McCoskrie
National Director

http://www.familyfirst.org.nz

Another Smacking Poll – Same Response

admin — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:08:28 +0000

MEDIA RELEASE

29 September 2008

Another Smacking Poll – Same Response

Family First NZ says that the NZ Herald poll showing 86% opposition to the anti-smacking law is further proof that the law is fundamentally wrong and should be changed.

“This is not 86% of NZ’ers who want to ‘thrash and beat’ their children as was suggested by the prime minister last year,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “This is simply NZ’ers saying that a law supposedly designed to tackle child abuse should not end up targeting good parents raising great kids.”

“Appropriate smacking for the purpose of correcting, training and teaching should never be a crime exposing parents to possible police investigation and CYF intervention.”

“The law is fundamentally flawed because it fails to deal with the problem it was supposed to – child abuse – and implicates law-abiding parents in the process.”

The latest poll follows a string of similar polls in 2008 including:

u 74% parents should be able to smack Research International Feb 2008

u 85% want law changed to allow light smacking Curia Research – poll commissioned by Family First May 08

u 85% anti-smacking law should be scrapped TVNZ Website poll June 08

u 81% say there should be referendum on smacking legislation at this year’s election NZ Herald Poll 25 June 2008 Total Votes: 4624

u One year on, do you think the anti-smacking Bill has proved to be effective? No 87% Unsure 7% Yes 7% Littlies Magazine online poll July 2008

“The guarded support for the ‘compromise’ amendment is parents simply hoping that the police may use some common sense in applying this flawed law. Yet evidence has shown that this is not the case, and many parents are more concerned about the way CYF are using the law for unwarranted intervention in good families.”

“The message is loud and clear to the politicians,” says Mr McCoskrie. “We don’t need a costly referendum to tell us what we already know. Simply change the law so that good parents are not criminalised, and then start targeting the real causes of child abuse including drug and alcohol abuse and family breakdown.”

ENDS

For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

Tel. 09 261 2426 | Mob. 027 55 555 42