Family Integrity #460 — Youtube video seen as desperate: Barnardos
Forwarded to you by:
Craig Smith
Family Integrity
|
Category: Referendum
-
Should a smack be a criminal offence? – Vote NO
Protect Good Parents. Tackle the real causes of child abuse.I’ve got slow internet! | video not working? try upgrading Adobe Flash Player“““““““““““““““““““““““““““`
Check out this website:
-
$9 Million Found To Cover Referendum
MEDIA RELEASE
1 July 2009
$9 Million Found To Cover Referendum
Family First NZ says that Treasury figures reveal that $52 million has been budgeted for social policy advice for the financial year and that only a portion of this is needed to cover the cost of the Referendum.
“The upcoming Referendum is simply an outcome of political deafness but its cost is covered under projected government spending,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“$52 million has been budgeted for Social Policy Advice under the Social Development Vote, and includes ‘the provision of information to, and discussion for, the public and other agencies on social policy issues’.”
“The anti-smacking law is a massive social issue which has affected the role of parents and the functioning of families. The Referendum will allow the public to finally have a say on this issue after being completely ignored by the politicians.”
“Getting the anti-smacking law right will also have economic benefits. Latest figures on child abuse reported in the Christchurch Press show an incredible 2/3’rds of notifications to CYF requiring no further action.”
“By correcting the anti-smacking law to avoid unnecessary investigation and intervention, and with $433 million being budgeted for CYF according to Treasury papers, the $9 million on the Referendum is not just about a flawed law but correcting an expensive exercise in mis-defining real abuse.”
“We can now refer to the Referendum as Social Policy Advice,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Its cost is covered.”
ENDS
For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:
Bob McCoskrie – National Director
Mob. 027 55 555 42
-
Smacking poll in hands of mother
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/2550600/Smacking-poll-in-hands-of-mother
Smacking poll in hands of mother
By NICK VENTER – The Dominion Post
Last updated 05:00 30/06/2009
LAST WORD: The referendum on the anti-smacking law will not go ahead if promoter Sheryl Savill withdraws her petition.The dark-haired, bespectacled woman talking forcefully across an outdoor table laden with scones, cake and drinks on Family First’s pro-smacking website does not have a bionic arm and cannot run faster than a speeding car. But Sheryl Savill is New Zealand’s $6 million woman.
The mother of two and policeman’s wife will have the final say this week on whether another $6m is spent on a referendum that Prime Minister John Key says the Government will ignore.
That is because the petition calling for a referendum on the anti-smacking law was submitted in her name.
A spokeswoman for the chief electoral officer said yesterday that $700,000 had already been spent preparing for the August referendum and a public information campaign costing $2.2m had also begun.
If the referendum goes ahead it will cost another $6m. However, if Ms Savill withdraws her petition before the governor-general issues the writ, the last day for which is Friday, the referendum can be cancelled.
Family First director Bob McCoskrie and petition organiser Larry Baldock say that will not happen unless the Government agrees to decriminalise smacking.
“The consequences of this law remaining in New Zealand are far too serious and will cost the country far more than the cost of the referendum,” Mr Baldock said.
He said Ms Savill, who is in the United States on a family holiday, was chosen as the petition promoter because she was a mother.
“She was concerned about the law and as a young mum felt she was prepared to put her name to it.”
Ms Savill, 40, has asked petition organisers not to give her contact details to the news media, but her views are explained in the video produced for the Vote No website. “I’m the mum of two lovely girls and when I realised how the anti-smacking law would directly affect the way I was raising my girls I knew that I had to do something,” she says, children and friends seated nearby.
“A light smack done in a good home that’s full of love sure isn’t child abuse.”
Mr McCoskrie said Ms Savill’s girls were aged about eight and 11. He declined to say whether she smacked them. “I can’t answer that. I won’t answer that on her behalf. I’m not going to comment on her parenting practice. All I know is that she is supporting the law change.”
Ms Savill, of South Auckland, works as a “communicator” for a conservative critics say Right wing evangelical organisation, Focus on the Family. Its headquarters are in the United States and it offers advice on parenting and marriage.
Family First Comment : The Referendum is actually in the hands of the Prime Minister. 300,000-plus signatures, 80% support for amending the anti-smacking law. Only the PM can prevent a costly Referendum. And Sheryl isn’t the $9 million dollar woman. Each person who signed the petition (300k) is the $30 protester!!!
-
Woman behind smacking referendum ‘concerned’ mum
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/63271/woman-behind-smacking-referendum-039concerned039-mum
Woman behind smacking referendum
‘concerned’ mum
The one woman with the power to halt the $9 million “anti-smacking” referendum is a “concerned” South Auckland married mother of two.
A Research New Zealand survey of 481 people released yesterday found 77 percent of respondents thought the referendum was a waste of money, 18 percent supported it and 5 percent were unsure.
Prime Minister John Key said it was up to the referendum’s instigator to decide whether to go ahead or not.
The referendum asks: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”.
Opponents of a 2007 law change, which removed the reasonable force defence in child abuse cases, want the public to vote no.
Sheryl Savill, who is currently on a two-week family holiday in the United States and unavailable to media, works for Focus on the Family New Zealand – a member of the Vote No coalition – and is the instigator of the poll.
“Her role as proposer is simply because of being a concerned mum”, Family First director Bob McCoskrie said.
Mrs Savill, 40, has two daughters with her policeman husband and has worked for Focus since 2006.
She is the programme manager for the parent education programme Drug Proof Your Kids.
In an opinion piece for the New Zealand Centre for Political Research in August, Mrs Savill said she did not normally get involved in politics but “knew she had to do something”.
“The government was intruding, yet again, into the lives or parents and, as a mum, I was really concerned about the impact that this type of bill would have on my family,” she wrote.
“To remove and undermine a parent’s authority in their own home is a treacherous area for the State to wade into.”
New Zealand needs to deal with “real causes” of child abuse, Mrs Savill said.
Mr McCoskrie said that, “as discussed” with Mrs Savill before she left on holiday, the referendum would only be withdrawn if the law was amended.
“The responsibility for the referendum continuing currently lies fairly and squarely with the Government.”
The referendum has been criticised as being confusing, as some people who support the status quo may think that is what they are voting for if they tick no.
The Government believes the law is working as intended and police are only prosecuting serious cases.
The non-binding, citizens-initiated referendum will be held by postal ballot from July 31 to August 21.
-
CITIZENS INITIATED REFERENDUM REPORT
CIR Update no.32 CITIZENS INITIATED REFERENDUM REPORT
Only 55 days to referendum day! August 21.
Greetings, Another busy week as media continued to carry more news of the impending referendum.
Congratulations to Bob McCoskrie and team on a successful launch of the http://www.voteno.org.nz website. If you haven’t seen it yet I encourage you to take a good look. Lots of useful downloads and information. Simon Barnett has done a great job fronting it with a 90 sec video, and has been prepared to make his stand for the principles he believes in. Thanks Simon, Jody and family. We are proud of you!Also Muriel Newman’s NZCPR weekly newsletter was entitled “A smack in the face of democracy.” Muriel wrote a great article and invited me to be her guest commentator. Click on the link above if you haven’t received it direct. None of these events were co-ordinated or planned but the timing turned out to be great.
The controversy over Christine Rankin’s appointment to the Families Commission has helped keep media interest alive this week with stories about her being required by the PM to not actively campaign for a ‘NO’ vote. You may have heard Chief Families Commissioner Jan Pryor say on National Radio that there had been robust debate amongst commissioners previously about the Families Commissions official position on the anti-smacking law. Since in her own words she said the debate was robust, there is a clear indication that the seven previous commissioners were not all in support of the law change. Hear the interview here
Now with two new Commissioners that we believe would be opposed to the anti-smacking law, it would be very interesting indeed if the Families Commission had a fresh debate and vote concerning it’s official position of support for the law change.
You can hear my interview with Geoff Robinson here.
Perhaps if you were of a mind to write to the Chief Families Commissioner to urge them to re-open the discussion it would be a good way of supporting Christine Rankin.Last week we had several meetings with media and creative production teams to finalise plans for Radio and TV advertising campaigns for vote NO. Under the laws governing CIR anyone wanting advertise to promote one of the answers to the referendum question cannot spend more than $50,000. View Sec 42 of the CIR Act
It is fairly obvious already that the Yes vote coalition has been spending up large to spread their half-truths and misinformation. I will give you some examples of this next week.
We need your help to make our campaign to the finish line in this long battle to make sure ‘the voice of the people is not drowned out!’ We have raised approx one third of our budget so far. Can you help us raise the rest of the total of $50,000? Whether you can afford $10, $20, $50, $500 or much more, whatever the amount, it will be an investment for the future protection of families in New Zealand.
You can send your checks made out to CIR Referendum, P.O. Box 9228, Greerton, 3142 Tauranga or direct Internet banking to our solicitors, McKenzie Elvin Trust account
For CIR Referendum Trust 02 0432 0393 450-02
Or donate on line with credit card via our Kiwi Party website donation page DONATE
100% of all donations will be used for the advertising campaign. The ads will not be mentioning the Kiwi Party.Finally this week, a woman who writes under the pseudonym of Nonen Titi, has self published a book called ‘The Happiness Inquisition.” This fictional novel attempts to portray what the possible ramifications of the anti-smacking law will be in our communities and I found it a worthwhile read. You may find it useful to give to a friend to help explain why this law is bad and must go.
To view the book cover and make any orders click on her website link. The cost is $10 incl postage in NZ. http://www.nonentiti.com
Warm regards,
Larry Baldock -
Referendum Cost Unfortunate Outcome of Political ‘Deafness’
MEDIA RELEASE
28 June 2009
Referendum Cost Unfortunate Outcome of Political ‘Deafness’
Family First NZ is not surprised by a poll today that says that 77% of NZ’ers think the Referendum is a waste
of money, and says that the government should save the taxpayer $9 million on a postal referendum and
simply fix the anti-smacking law now as demanded by 80% of kiwis.
“It is incredible that in the midst of a recession, the government will be spending that amount of money to tell
them what they already know – that the law should be fixed,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family
First NZ.
“But that is the unfortunate price of ‘political deafness’. The blame for having to even have a Referendum is
pointed fairly and squarely at the politicians. Even supporters of the Referendum would say that the
Referendum is a waste of money – but completely necessary in the circumstances.”
“The Referendum has resulted in a huge amount of time, energy and resources being spent collecting the
300,000-plus signatures to force the Referendum in the hope that the government would be spurred to amend
the law and target the real causes of child abuse. Unfortunately they remained deaf.”
“The law can be easily fixed by removing the criminality of parents who use reasonable force for the purpose
of correcting their children.
“The politicians have tried to paint the Referendum as confusing. They should try explaining the anti-smacking
law to parents,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“NZ’ers are crying out for politicians to listen to the voice of the people and to tackle the real causes of child
abuse, without criminalising and threatening good parents with investigation and interference from already
overworked police and CYF social workers,” says Mr McCoskrie.
ENDS
For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:
Bob McCoskrie – NATIONAL DIRECTOR
Mob. 027 55 555 42 -
Senior Labour MP Says Referendum Not Confusing
MEDIA RELEASE
29 June 2009
Senior Labour MP Says Referendum Not Confusing
Family First NZ is welcoming comments by a senior Labour MP that the Referendum wording is not confusing.
Pete Hodgson was a Minister of Health, Minister for Economic Development, Minister of Research, Science and Technology and Minister for Tertiary Education under the previous Labour government.
A constituent recently wrote to the MP and said:
““Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offense in NZ” This is a most unambiguous question: given that the defense of reasonable force was repealed in the legislation passed last year as part of Sue Bradford’s bill and therefore parents who even lightly tapped their child could be prosecuted if the police elected to do so. It is misleading for anyone to say the above is an ambiguous question. It is patently clear what it is asking. The reason to argue for ambiguity is to try and confuse the issue in order to undermine the referendum. To refuse to vote on the basis of the ambiguity of the question is the ultimate act of fence sitting and self preservation. If one believes the question is wrong then one and the legislation is correct then one should vote accordingly!”
In response, Mr Hodgson simply wrote “agreed”.
“The smokescreen which has been created around the Referendum has simply been an attempt by some politicians to attempt to ridicule and dismiss an issue that they don’t want to resurface,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “It has been a direct attack on the process of democracy. And the cost can only be attributed to their deafness on this issue.”
Family First is calling on the government to amend the anti-smacking law so that a non-abusive smack for the purpose of correction is not a criminal offence.
“300,000 signatures, an 80%-average in all the polls, and now a senior Labour MP, shows the country is not confused as to what they want on this issue,” says Mr McCoskrie.
ENDS
For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:
Bob McCoskrie – National Director
Mob. 027 55 555 42
