7 Feb 08Hundreds sign smacking petition at Manukau’s Waitangi event

Hundreds of South Auckland residents signed the anti-smacking petition at Manukau’s Waitangi Family event yesterday, bringing the national tally closer to its goal.

Leader of the Family Party, Richard Lewis, says his team collected nearly 1300 signatures from South Auckland residents concerned about Labour’s controvercial, anti-family legislation.

“We were inundated with people wanting to sign the petition because they believe most parents know the difference between a smack and abuse. This community overwhelmingly rejected the anti-smacking bill before it was passed into law and that sentiment is still strong today. Many people had previously signed the petition through their church or the Unity for Liberty group, which was very encouraging,” he added.

The Family Party aims to reinstate Section 59 of the Crimes Act, which protects parents from criminal liability if they smack their children in reasonable and appropriate circumstances.

“Parents need the ability to be able to set and enforce boundaries in the home. If they don’t, society pays the price and we’re experiencing that in our communities today with the increase in youth gangs and violent crime,” he added.

Richard Lewis is standing for the Manukau East electorate in the coming election.

ENDS

THE FAMILY PARTY
http://www.thefamilyparty.org.nz

MEDIA RELEASE

7 February 2008

Families Commission Needs to Get ‘Respect’ Message to MPs

Family First NZ is welcoming a call by the Families Commission for NZ’ers to do more to show they support and value parents.

“But ultimately, this needs to come from the top-down,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Parents are currently, and understandably, feeling undervalued, under-resourced and under suspicion.”

“For too long, laws have been passed and policies pushed that have undermined the role of parents. These have been advocated by the Children’s Commissioner, NZ’s blind adherence to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and politicians. Unfortunately, the Families Commission has, to this point, failed to represent the voice of parents, evidenced by their support of the anti-smacking bill.”

Recent examples of undermining the role of parents include:

* a teenager who attempted to use the Care of Children Act to ‘divorce’ her parent because she didn’t like the family rules

* the Privacy Act being quoted by the Police as justification for hiding the whereabouts of a 16 year old runaway daughter from her concerned parents

* CYF and Police failing to prosecute a 21 year old who admitted having sex with a girl under the age of 12

* the anti-smacking law which sent a clear message to parents that the State and its agencies know better how to raise children even if parents are reasonably and responsibly correcting their children.

* continued lack of an independent CYF Complaints Authority despite repeated calls for one and an increasing number of families being adversely impacted by the actions and decisions of social workers (acknowledged by a recently released book by senior social workers) without an avenue of appeal for the parents

* children as young as five have been told off for bringing yoghurt, muesli bars, salad rolls and juice to school as over-zealous teachers try to enforce healthy eating rules – despite parents pleading to be allowed to give their children the occasional treat

* parents concerned about the graphic nature of information regarding the meningococcal B campaign provided to children at school, mostly without consent (study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal)

* proposal by the Children’s Commissioner to screen every child’s home, threatening to refer good parents who resist this intrusion, to social welfare agencies, while failing to target the real abusers and provide the necessary services for young and new parents

* young girls (some well under the age of sexual consent) being sneaked off by schools to get contraceptives or an abortion without any parental knowledge or consent yet these same kids have to get parental permission to go on a school trip to the zoo

“If the government wants parents to be responsible parents, they must firstly respect their role.”

Family First hopes that the Families Commission will take their message of supporting and valuing parents to the law and policy makers.

ENDS

For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

Mob. 027 55 555 42

Tuesday, 5 February 2008, 1:28 pm
Press Release: The Kiwi Party

“Children’s Commissioner afraid of small minority also”

In her article in the Dom Post Feb 4th, Children’s Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro called supporters of the petition for a referendum on the Anti Smacking Law “a very vocal minority”.

Once again, like the Prime Minister and Sue Bradford, she has opened her mouth and revealed her ignorance of democracy, said Larry Baldock, organiser of the Citizens Initiated Referendum on the question “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence?” “If we represent only a small minority they of course have nothing to fear from a referendum,” he said.

“Arguing that the government must interfere in how good parents raise their children in this country because NZ must obey the United Nations is only another example of her ignorance.

New Zealand is a sovereign nation and what the majority of our citizens decide should take precedence over any United Nations convention signed by a government appointed diplomat on instructions from the Prime Minister. It is hypocritical to claim we must obey United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child (UNCROC) while the NZ Government disassociated from the United Nations Doha Declaration on the Family, and passed the Prostitution Reform Act in 1993 in the face of severe criticism from the United Nations.

New Zealanders did not vote for the UN, we voted for our Members of Parliament and when 113 refuse to listen to the views of 84% of the population we have no option but to call for a referendum to settle the matter,” said Mr Baldock.

ENDS

Rodney Hide & Heather Roy

http://www.act.org.nz/act_pushes_anti-smacking_referendum

Crime & Justice

ACT New Zealand Leader Rodney Hide and Deputy Leader Heather Roy have taken out a half page advertisement in tomorrow’s ‘Sunday Star Times’, urging New Zealanders to sign a petition calling for a Citizen’s Initiated referendum on the anti-smacking law passed by both National and Labour last year.

“We believe that New Zealanders should have their say on this controversial law, not just politicians,” Mr Hide and Mrs Roy said.

“A Citizen’s Initiated Referendum will enable New Zealanders to tell politicians what they think. The organisers of the petition have done a great job getting signatures, and people are keen to sign – 280,000 signatures have been collected so far, but the organisers need 300,000 by the end of February to ensure a referendum.

“That’s why we have pitched in; it’s vital that New Zealanders get to have a say. ACT was the only Party that voted against the anti-smacking law – which equates good parents who smack their children with child abusers and criminalises them.

“That’s wrong; ACT believes that parents should be able to choose the best method of raising their children and teaching them right from wrong.

“National and Labour passed the anti-smacking Bill against the wishes of 80 percent of New Zealanders. We believe it should be up to New Zealanders to choose whether they want to make smacking a criminal offence. It’s time they had a say.

“We urge New Zealanders to sign the petition, which calls for a referendum on this law. Copy the petition and get your friends and colleagues to sign it too – that way we can ensure that the voices of the people of New Zealand can be heard,” Mr Hide and Mrs Roy said.

ENDS