Family Integrity

Author: HEF Admin

  • Democracy in danger?

    The Kiwi Party
    Press Release

    “The final results announced yesterday by the Chief Electoral Office show that more New Zealanders took part in the Smacking referendum than the 1992 MMP referendum,” said Kiwi Party Leader Larry Baldock.

    Compare smacking referendum with MMP referendum

    Smacking Referendum
    56.09%  took part
    87.40%  voted NO

    MMP  Referendum Sept 1992
    55%  took part
    85%  voted for change

    Following the MMP referendum, Labour leader Mike Moore said “The people didn’t speak on Saturday, they screamed.”

    “As a nation we changed our voting system with less of a mandate than was given to our politicians last Friday.

    “Instead of sending troops to Afghanistan to fight for democracy, maybe we should send them to Wellington!

    “Instead of Fiji being suspended from the Pacific Forum,for ignoring the Democratic will of the people, perhaps New Zealand should be suspended…..?”

    Ends

    Contact Larry Baldock
    021864833

  • ACT: Key’s ‘huge mistake’ will cost National

    ACT: Key’s ‘huge mistake’ will cost National

    Tue, 25 Aug 2009 5:17a.m. Prime Minister John Key has made “a huge mistake” by refusing to change the so-called anti-smacking law and National will suffer for it at the next election, the ACT Party says.

    “He is making exactly the same mistake as Helen Clark made – he is putting himself above the overwhelming wish of the majority of New Zealanders,” MP John Boscawen told NZPA.

    “I think he’s making a very stupid mistake”.

    Mr Key yesterday said he was going to ensure parents were not prosecuted for an inconsequential smack but he wasn’t going to change the law in response to the referendum result.

    Voters faced the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction by a criminal offence in New Zealand?”

    About 1.6 million ticked the boxes and nearly 88 percent said “no”.

    Mr Key said changes were likely to the way welfare officers handled complaints about light smacking and police would be asked to review their procedures to make sure good parents weren’t treated like criminals.

    “I am not going to allow that to happen to them and if the law shows, through its application, that New Zealand parents are criminalised or their children are taken off them in some bizarre case for what could only be described as minor or inconsequential smacking, then the law has to be changed,” he said.

    But the facts showed people were not being prosecuted and he wanted to find ways to assure parents that was not going to start happening.

    Mr Boscawen said the referendum result was a clear, emphatic vote for the law to be changed.

    “I think he’s taking a very grave risk in ignoring such a massive mandate for a change to the law,” he said.

    “I think he’s being very foolish, his response is totally inadequate and he’s making a huge mistake.”

    Mr Boscawen said National’s poll ratings would drop and the impact would carry through to the next election.

    Family First, one of the referendum’s main promoters, said MPs and ministers were receiving floods of e-mails demanding a law change.

    “The referendum wasn’t about recommendations, guidelines or comfort – it was about a law change,” said Family First director Bob McCoskrie.

  • Govt won’t support ACT smacking bill

    Govt won’t support ACT smacking bill

    By TRACY WATKINS – The Dominion Post

    John Boscawen and Sue Bradford
    John Boscawen and Sue Bradford

    Prime Minister John Key has ruled out supporting an ACT bill urging the repeal of so-called anti-smacking laws.

    The member’s bill, put up by ACT MP John Boscawen, was drawn from the ballot today.

    It threatened to revive the divisive smacking debate just days after a referendum resoundingly backed the right of parents to smack.

    But Mr Key today scotched any likelihood of the bill passing its first parliamentary vote by declaring National’s opposition.

    Labour is also likely to oppose the bill when it comes up for debate in a few weeks.

  • PM between a rock and a hard place

    The Kiwi Party
    Press Release

    Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock welcomed the news that John Boscawen’s bill was drawn from the Ballot only one day after the Chief Electoral Office released the final results of the referendum. This is good news for all those who want to see a smack no longer a criminal offence in this country.

    If the PM thought he might hang tough while hoping the issue would die down, he is very much mistaken. At some point in the near future all the National Caucus will have a tough decision.  They could continue their hypocrisy by voting against John Boscawen’s bill that is based upon National MP Chester Borrows’ amendment they supported during the committee stage of Sue Bradford’s anti-smacking law, or vote for the bill and open up the select committee process and anti-smacking debate all over again.

    Taking urgency and deleting Subsections 2 & 3 from Sec 59 of the Crimes Act, as I have proposed to the PM, might just be the best way forward. Who knows, if he acts quickly enough he might be forgiven for what many are considering to be an arrogant stand against the 87% of Kiwis that voted no in the referendum.

    Ends
    Contact Larry Baldock
    021864833

  • Smacking poll ‘no’ landslide confirmed

    Smacking poll ‘no’ landslide confirmed

    The Dominion Post

    The final results of the smacking referendum have been released, showing that more than 1.68 million ballots were cast – with 87 per cent voting ‘no’.

    The poll question asked: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”

    Preliminary results released on Friday indicated 1,622,150 valid votes were cast, but with the release of the official results today that was bumped up to 1,682,717 – a voter turnout of 56 per cent.

    More than 1.47 million ‘no’ votes were cast – 87.4 per cent.

    Around 201,000 ‘yes’ votes were cast – 11.98 per cent.

    There were 1,685 invalid votes.

    Invalid votes were excluded from the count and include papers received late, those that could not be processed because the voter had made the barcode unreadable, or papers cancelled as a result of replacement voting papers being issued.

    The number of informal votes cast – where the voter did not clearly indicate their response – was 10,421.

    – With NZPA

  • Vote Against Smacking Law Exceeds Vote For MMP

    MEDIA RELEASE

    25 August 2009

    Vote Against Smacking Law Exceeds Vote For MMP

    Family First NZ says that more NZ’ers voted against the smacking law than voted for our Electoral system to change to MMP.

    “The final turnout for the anti-smacking Referendum was 56% with 87.4% voting no. The turnout for the MMP referendum was 55% with only 70% voting for MMP,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “More NZ’ers voted for the decriminalization of light smacking than voted for MMP.”

    “The politicians have turned a deaf ear to the results of the anti-smacking Referendum and the clear voice of NZ’ers, but have warmly welcomed the vote on MMP. This is selective democracy.”

    “It is also significant that Green MP Sue Bradford wants to ignore the anti-smacking Referendum yet has no problem accepting the benefit of an electoral system which has worked hugely in her favour – on a lesser amount of votes!”

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42



    Sign up now to received FREE email updates of issues affecting families – be informed! http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/index.cfm/Sign_Up

  • Another child dies

    From the

    BIG NEWS Blog

    News, views and politics

    Another child dies

    When is it going to end? Story here TV clip here. Sue Bradford too busy posting pics of protests on Facebook to comment.

    An interview of the neighbour will be on TV3 news tonight.

  • More Window Dressing on a Rejected Law

    MEDIA RELEASE

    25 August 2009

    More Window Dressing on a Rejected Law

    Family First NZ says that the government has done more ‘compromise’ on a ‘compromise’ law but the window dressing is a cynical attempt to ignore the overwhelming majority of NZ’ers who reject the anti-smacking law.

    “The Police have already been doing regular reviews and they show good parents being prosecuted under the law – 14 at last count,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “But they also show a huge number of non-abusive parents being investigated – 94% of all investigations. Police may say business as usual, but families don’t see it that way.”

    “And CYF checking on themselves is completely unacceptable. A review by the Ministry of Social Development will be a one-sided bias affair endorsed by government-funded lobby groups like Barnardos who oppose smacking. That’s why we have been demanding an independent CYF Complaints Authority.”

    “The Prime Minister is showing incredible ill-will towards the 80%-plus of NZ’ers who have consistently opposed this law and want light smacking decriminalized. Cabinet Ministers received around 1,000 emails yesterday calling on the government to listen to families but they have ignored them.”

    John Key says “If the law shows … that New Zealand parents are being criminalised, or their children are being taken off them in some bizarre case for what could only be described as minor or inconsequential smacking, then the law has to be changed.”

    “We have already put this evidence before the Prime Minister including parents prosecuted for an open hand leg smack, arm smacks, bottom smacks, and even a ruffling of sheets to get out of bed. Many of these cases have resulted in the parent being discharged without conviction, sent to a parenting course, or receiving a suspended sentence.

    Other parents have been referred to CYF and had children removed while an investigation takes place. This is highly traumatic for any family.”

    “The bottom line is that you can put lipstick on a pig – but it’s still a pig,” says Mr McCoskrie

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

    Sign up now to received FREE email updates of issues affecting families – be informed! http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/index.cfm/Sign_Up

  • What should happen with the smacking legislation now?

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

    Readers’ Poll Put in your vote

    What should happen with the smacking legislation now?

    Final Results:

    • Leave it as it is: 781 (14%)
    • Clarify the guidelines: 1668 (30%)
    • Scrap it: 3022 (55%)

    Total Votes: 5471

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10592900&pnum=0