Family Integrity

Category: Referendum

  • Send a message that John Key simply can’t ignore

    Send a message that John Key simply can’t ignore

    Anti-Smacking Postal Referendum
    July 31 – August 21 2009

    In the first three weeks of August, NZ’ers will finally have a chance to have their say on Sue Bradford’s anti-smacking law.

    Since the Referendum was formally announced, there has been a media EXPLOSION
    * Campaign begins for referendum on child discipline – The Electoral Enrollment Centre begins a campaign on Monday to remind voters to check they are enrolled for a referendum on the anti-smacking law
    * Vote unlikely to bring law change – The Government is unlikely to change the anti-smacking law regardless of the result of the $9 million referendum, Prime Minister John Key says
    * MP’s slate smacking poll words – Because they don’t like the answer they come to, and the effect of the law they passed!
    * Leaders won’t vote in smacking poll – Neither Prime Minister John Key nor Labour leader Phil Goff will vote in the smacking referendum
    * Big two coy on smacking vote – A national referendum is re-igniting debate on the anti-smacking law two years on
    * Latest smacking poll – same result – Family First Media Release 17 June 09
    * PM attempting to shut down Referendum debate – Family First Media Release 16 June 09

    Now there is the chance to tell the politicians to change the anti-smacking law so that we have laws that acknowledge and value the important role of good parents – but also demand that the real causes of child abuse are targeted.

    Family First will be one of the groups speaking up and encouraging NZ’ers to vote NO!
    Our plan:
    * web-based and media-based
    * networking by email
    * media interviews
    * simply presenting the facts

    Our need?
    Simple really. We need your financial support .

    The ‘opposition’ has no difficulty with funding .
    Groups like Barnardos, Plunket, Parents Centre, Families Commission, Children’s Commissioner , and other government-funded organisations are well funded thanks to you – the taxpayer . And they’ve been busy running seminars, websites, sending out briefing sheets to MP’s, publishing newsletters, employing staff especially for this issue,  and sending out social workers far and wide pushing their message.

    How do they really view kiwi parents?
    If you oppose the anti-smacking law as so many NZ’ers do, you’re demonised as ‘violent’, and a parent who supports ‘bashing’ and ‘assaulting’ children. These groups should hang their head in shame for labelling kiwi parents in such a way.
    * Former Children’s Commissioner Ian Hassell referred to opponents to the anti-smacking law as the ‘child-beating lobby ‘ LISTEN HERE

    * Sue Bradford referred to Family First as the pro-violence lobby

    * Barnardos spokeswoman Deborah Morris-Travers said in a Christchurch Press article today “.. Our views of children are perhaps a bit more modern and up to date compared to the other side of the debate …..”

    * but the classic quote of the week also comes from Barnardos when Morris-Travers denied the 300,000+ who signed the petition – and the poll after poll after poll that shows 80%+ opposing the law – and makes this statement about Family First
    LISTEN
    (By the way, this letter is being sent to you by email and will be posted on our website after I talk to my wife on my mobile !!!!)

    WOULD YOU CONSIDER INVESTING IN OUR voteNO CAMPAIGN?

    We will not get a single cent from the government in this Referendum – unlike the opposing argument.

    Every donation – large and small – will enable us to get the facts out there, and to promote the important role of parents, the welfare of children, and the real issues of child abuse.

    Thanks for your consideration. Together, we can bring some sanity to this debate and demand that the real causes of child abuse are confronted.

    Kind regards


    Bob McCoskrie
    National Director

    All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
    Edmund Burke
    Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 – 1797)

    http://www.familyfirst.org.nz

  • NZ Correction Referendum: Vote Yes? No! ‘SATIRE’

    Renton Maclachlan conducts an in-depth and enlightening interview with Dennis Morris-Traveler, spokesperson for the Yes vote campaign.
    Please send this link to your friends, neighbours and relations:

    https://familyintegrity.org.nz/2009/953/

  • A very simple question

    A very simple question

    cross-posted from Big News, 14 April 2009 and   http://section59.blogspot.com/ 16 April

    Bill English was asked on Radio Live today whether a smack should be allowed as part of good parental correction. He was asked at least six times. Here’s the transcript. It’s a classic.

    Radio Live Breakfast Show – 14 April 09

    INTERVIEWER: The Labour Party seemed to have amended their position on Section 59, the smacking legislation. What do you think? Should a smack be allowed as part of a good – as good parental correction?
    BILL ENGLISH: Look, the Government’s position hasn’t changed since a compromise was done with the previous Labour Government. And the Prime Minister has said many times, as has the rest of the Government, that if there is evidence that law abiding parents are being wrong(ly)prosecuted inconsistent with the spirit of that law then we would look to change it. And has been – and there hasn’t yet been considerable enough evidence to warrant changing it.
    INTERVIEWER: Well, did you think – do you think a smack should be allowed as part of good parental correction?
    BILL ENGLISH: Well, look, I think the law, as it is, is the law of the land and needs to be enforced in a sensible way. And…
    INTERVIEWER: But do you think a smack should be allowed as part of good parental correction?
    BILL ENGLISH: I – I think the law, as it is, is the law of the land that should be enforced. If there is evidence that it is being enforced in instances where it’s – where it’s inappropriate because the event is
    trivial or [indistinct]…
    INTERVIEWER: No, no. Sorry, Minister, I just wanted to know whether you could answer that, that should – do you think a smack should be allowed as part of good parental correction?
    BILL ENGLISH: Look, it’s a matter of complying with the law of the land.
    INTERVIEWER: Right, it’s a simple question, isn’t it?
    BILL ENGLISH: It’s like asking whether the speed limit should be – whether you should drive at 120 kilometres an hour. The law – the law…
    INTERVIEWER: Well, clearly you shouldn’t.
    BILL ENGLISH: That’s right. Well, the law – the law, as it stands, is the law that should be enforced.
    INTERVIEWER: Do you – do you think a smack should be allowed as part of good parental
    correction? It’s simple yes or no, isn’t it?
    Bill ENGLISH: Well, look, the law takes a stance about smacking and it gives the police some discretion about how they use their capacity to prosecute. If there is evidence that they are prosecuting people inappropriately, then that current government would look at changing the law.

    So this is the position of Bill English. Laws should be enforced. The smacking law should be complied with. A smack as part of good parental correction is against the law. There is no evidence that, quote, “law abiding parents are being wrong(ly) prosecuted”, unquote, for breaking the law when lightly smacking their kids.

    What Radio Live should have asked is this: If “law abiding parents” can smack their kids for corrective purposes, how can law abiding parents be wrongly prosecuted, given correction is explicitly a crime?

  • Cabinet Minister’s Smacking Law Comments Welcomed

    MEDIA RELEASE

    1 June 2009

    Cabinet Minister’s Smacking Law Comments Welcomed

    Family First NZ is welcoming comments made by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett in a radio interview over the weekend.

    When a caller to the programme on Newstalk ZB asked the Minister whether she thought a smack as part of good parental correction should be a criminal offence in NZ, the Minister responded ‘No I don’t, I believe that actually good parenting should be left to do that in their different ways in their different homes and I don’t have an interest in going into people’s homes and telling them how to parent’.

    “This is a welcome change to the previous message that parents have received from politicians that ‘we know best how to raise your kids’,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “Ms Bennett is also willing to acknowledge the difference between a smack as part of good parental correction, and child abuse. She went on to say ‘I’ve got the hat on of being hugely hugely concerned with serious abuse – now I think they’re very different things so do understand I’m not saying that section 59 was ever going to stop that…’. She also admitted that she would never have introduced an anti-smacking bill.”

    Paula Bennett now joins Labour leader Phil Goff as having indicated that a smack as part of good parental correction should not be a crime in NZ, as the law currently stands. This is the question being asked in the upcoming Referendum on the anti-smacking law.

    The Minister also acknowledged the level of daily concern from parents regarding the law and its impact on their parenting and the attitude of children.

    “If the politicians believe that the law as it currently stands is wrong, they should save the country $10m on a Referendum and amend the law now,” says Mr McCoskrie. “They can simply adopt the private members bill put forward by ACT MP John Boscawen, and then heed the calls for a Royal Commission to target the real causes of child abuse.”

    ENDS


    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

  • The NZ ‘anti-correction law’ and the referendum – your ‘unemotional’ guide to Section 59

    A brief, clear, unemotional, analysis for Kiwis of Sue Bradford’s ‘anti-correction law’. See it for yourself and find out what it means! Be confused no more! And vote ‘NO!’ in the referendum in August!