Family Integrity

Tag: Family First NZ

  • Abortions Increase – Tragedy for Teens and Families

    MEDIA RELEASE

    17 JUNE 2008

    The abortion figures for 2007 released by Statistics NZ today continue to paint a terrible picture for teenagers and families, and confirm the continued failure of the Abortion Supervisory Committee, as highlighted by the High Court case last week.

    Almost 4,300 teenagers had an abortion in 2007. Each week, over 80 teenagers have an abortion, and represent almost a quarter of all abortions performed in NZ.

    Since 1991, the number of 11-14 year olds having an abortion has increased by 141%. The number of abortions for 15-19 year olds has increased by 82%.

    “This is a tragedy for the girls involved, some as young as 11,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director. “It is also devastating for the extended family, especially if the young girl has been sneaked off for the abortion by Family Planning or a School Counselor without the parents’ knowledge or consent.”

    “It provides evidence that the myth of safe sex pushed by Family Planning, the AIDS Foundation and similar groups is miserably failing our vulnerable young people, who are being made even more vulnerable by then being encouraged to have an abortion,” says Bob McCoskrie. “This is why 83% of parents in a recent US Zogby poll believe that programs should reinforce the abstinence and ‘wait’ message.”

    The overall abortion rate is at its highest ever, except for 2003. More than 350 abortions happen every week.

    At the same time as over 18,000 abortions were being performed in NZ last year, adoptions totalled less than 90, according to the Adoption Option Trust.

    “Of huge concern is the fact that 22% of abortions are being performed at 12 weeks or greater despite all the pictures, scans and scientific understanding of the fetal development of the unborn child,” says Mr McCoskrie. “These images are obviously being kept hidden from some of the women seeking an abortion.”

    Family First NZ is calling for a law which requires informed consent (including ultrasound) for all potential abortions, and counselling to be provided only by non-providers of abortion services. Parental notification of teenage pregnancy and abortion should happen automatically except in exceptional circumstances approved by the court.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • Sports & Fielddays Crowds Give CIR Petition Huge Boost

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0806/S00175.htm

    Sports and Fielddays Crowds Give

    Anti-Smacking Petition Huge Boost

    Family First Media Release 15 June 2008

    Family First NZ says that the numbers of signatures on the petition against the anti-smacking law and demanding a Referendum at the upcoming Election has been hugely boosted by a number of large events over the past 2 weekends.

    “ Over 12,000 signatures have been collected at the two recent All Blacks tests, a Warriors game, the Waikato Fielddays, and other sporting and community events ,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “ The signature count from the Fielddays alone was a whopping 8,700. It has certainly reinforced to us the strong feeling against this unpopular and ineffective law by typical NZ’ers who are attending these events. There is no shortage of people wanting to sign the petition.”

    The organisers originally had a shortfall of 18,027 signatures after the audit of the original 324,216 signatures submitted in April. However, since then, more than 50,000 signatures have been collected. These will be submitted before the deadline of the end of the month.

    “This confirms that a Referendum will be held on the anti-smacking law at the same time as the Election, it confirms that a huge proportion of NZ’ers want the law changed to protect good parents, and it sends a very clear and loud message to the politicians that they should listen to the views of the voters who will be making a choice at the upcoming Election.”

    “It’s time to tackle the real causes of child abuse, violence and crime without criminalising the efforts of good parents raising productive and law-abiding citizens of the future,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    “There is good reason that only 23 of the almost 200 countries have adopted this law. NZ can lead the world by being the first country to reverse this flawed law before its effects are fully felt by families and the community.”

    ENDS

    www.familyfirst.org.nz

  • Abortion – The worst form of Child Abuse

    MEDIA RELEASE

    10 June 2008

    Abortion Supervisory Committee Deserves Criticism

    Family First NZ is welcoming the comments by a High Court judge that the Abortion Supervisory Committee has been applying the abortion laws too liberally and has failed to adequately supervise the work of certifying consultants.

    “The Committee has ignored the original intention of parliament and because of their lack of supervision and inaction, this has effectively led to abortion on demand,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “As a result, approximately 18,000 abortions are performed every year, and since 1991, the number of 11-14 year olds having an abortion has increased by 144%. The number of abortions for 15-19 year olds has increased by 74%. Each week, almost 80 teenagers have an abortion, and represent almost a quarter of all abortions performed in NZ.”

    Ironically, at the same time as almost 18,000 abortions were being performed in NZ last year, adoptions totaled less than 90, according to the Adoption Option Trust.

    “Abortions being performed at greater than 12 weeks has increased by 220%, despite all the pictures and scans we are seeing showing the fetal development of the unborn child,” says Mr McCoskrie. “These images are obviously being kept hidden from some of the women seeking an abortion.”

    “The high numbers of abortions (despite all the supposed safe sex messages and availability of contraception), and now this ruling, confirms that the Abortion Supervisory Committee continues to fail both women and the unborn child.”

    Family First NZ is calling for a law which requires informed consent (including ultrasound) for all potential abortions, and counselling to be provided only by non-providers of abortion services. Parental notification of teenage pregnancy and abortion should happen automatically except in exceptional circumstances approved by the court.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • Parents De-clawed by Rights Culture and Law Changes

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0806/S00068.htm

    MEDIA RELEASE

    June 2008

    Parents De-clawed by Rights Culture and Law Changes

    Family First NZ says that the case of a Bay of Plenty couple feeling they could do nothing to stop their teenager growing dope in the bathtub of the family home is indicative of how powerless parents are feeling in their role.

    “While the inaction of the parents is unacceptable, the current rights culture being preached to young people along with laws like the anti-smacking law has given an underlying message to young people that their parents cannot discipline them and cannot tell them what to do,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “The anti-smacking law has been hugely unpopular, not because parents are demanding the right to smack, but because they simply want the right to parent reasonably and effectively without unwarranted intervention. The law has had the effect of being an anti-parental correction law.”

    “This case highlights just how de-clawed parents are feeling, and follows on from recent reports showing teenagers are becoming increasingly violent or threatening towards their parents and that some parents no longer have the confidence to deal with the unacceptable behaviour.”

    “If the government wants parents to be responsible parents, they must firstly respect their authority,” says Mr McCoskrie. “The anti-smacking law and the rights culture pushed by the UN, Children’s Commissioner, Youth Law Project and others has undermined the role of parents, has failed to understand the special relationship and functioning of families, and has communicated to some children that they are now in the ‘driving seat’ and parents should be put in their place.”

    “This case highlights just how much confidence parents have lost.”

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • Obesity and Smacking Are Linked – Yeah Right!

    MEDIA RELEASE

    4 June 2008

    Family First NZ is questioning why a government sponsored survey of obesity rates and related issues of exercise, tv watching, nutrition, fast food and drinking patterns has included a question on smacking.

    “Either the government believes that obesity and smacking are linked, or they are trying to throw a positive spin on the highly unpopular smacking law,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Both ideas are preposterous.”

    “Does the government believe that only obese parents use smacking as a form of correction, or do they believe that if a child is smacked, they will be obese in later life? If that was the case, our current generation of grandparents who were raised before the anti-smacking crusade would be the most obese of all NZ’ers – which of course they are not.”

    “What this survey shows is a cynical attempt by the government to try and tackle the increasing opposition to the highly unpopular anti-smacking law,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    “The research has already been done – a 2006 Otago University study found that children who were smacked in a reasonable way had similar or slightly better outcomes in terms of aggression, substance abuse, adult convictions and school achievement than those who were not smacked at all. And a Christchurch study by Professor Fergusson found no difference between no smacking and moderate physical punishment. They even said “It is misleading to imply that occasional or mild physical punishment has long term adverse consequences.”

    “No mention of obesity!” says Mr McCoskrie.

    “There are two facts that should be linked however – 85%, and those who want the anti-smacking law changed. That’s the statistic that the government should be taking notice of,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • NZ Herald Launches Attack on Family First and on Referendum

    The NZ Herald has launched an extraordinary attack this morning on Family First NZ and signatories to the petition demanding a Referendum on the anti-smacking law.

    You can read the Editorial “Spare us a smacking referendum” (which hides behind no name attributed to it) HERE

    It contains a number of disturbing statements:
    “..contrary to the alarmism of Family First..”
    “Why, then, is Mr McCoskrie’s group unable to let this unpleasant subject rest? ..”
    “The public must be heartily sick of this non-issue. Smacking children is simply not worth further debate…”
    “The law has sent the message that violence (     note terminology ) is not the ideal way to correct children..”
    “…spare us a referendum, it would be flogging a dead horse.”

    They also echo the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the research that Sue Bradford fell into the trap of (as referred to in our previous post). You would expect more thorough and accurate reporting and comment from a newspaper like the NZ Herald.

    If you would like to comment on this Editorial, email letters@nzherald.co.nz
    Letters must not exceed 200 words, and must have full residential address and phone number for verification.

    Thanks for speaking up.

    Bob McCoskrie
    National Director

    www.familyfirst.org.nz

  • Green Party Misinterprets and Misrepresents Research on Anti-smacking Law

    Green Party Misinterprets and Misrepresents Research on Anti-smacking Law
     Green MP Sue Bradford has tried to say that our research on attitudes to the highly unpopular anti-smacking law shows that the number of people smacking has decreased, but she’s comparing ‘apples’ with ‘oranges’.
    Last year (just before the law came into force), we asked ALL respondents (grandparents, parents, people not married, even people without kids!) whether they would ignore the law if they felt it appropriate. Not “had they” but “would they”. 78% said they would. This year we asked only parents with under 12’s whether they actually had flouted the law – a much smaller sample but far more relevant – 48% (51% of mums) admitted flouting the law . Sue Bradford tried to interpret this as a drop from 78% to 48%. But as anyone can see, they are completely different groups in a different setting.
    Significanly though, 51% who admit smacking is the same figure as a government funded poll in 2005. In other words, nothing has changed! Parents are carrying on doing what they know is best – even with the law change.
    The Greens have tried to ‘twist’ the data and the media have failed to pick up on it. The figure they should be taking notice of is the whopping 85% who want the law changed . Let’s hope that Ms Bradford isn’t responsible for global warming statistics as well!!!!!

  • Smacking Poll – NZ’ers Don’t Want to ‘Move On’

    MEDIA RELEASE

    26 MAY 2008

    Smacking Poll – NZ’ers Don’t Want to ‘Move On’

    More than half of our mums with young children flouting the law

    A year after the passing of the controversial anti-smacking law, opposition to the law change is growing. These are the key finding of research commissioned by Family First NZ, following on from similar research in 2007. The poll surveyed 1,018 people and found continued overwhelming opposition to the new law.

    Opposition to the anti-smacking law has increased from 62% last year to 73% now. Only 19% strongly or somewhat agreed with the new law despite the Police discretion clause (down from 29% in June 2007). Almost half of the survey (47%) strongly disagree with the ban on smacking.

    85% said that the new law should be changed to state explicitly that parents who give their children a smack that is reasonable and for the purpose of correction are not breaking the law (up from 82% last year).

    In a clear message to political parties seeking support for the upcoming election, when asked whether their support for a party would be affected if they promised to change the law, 37% said they would be more likely to vote for that party (up from 31% last year). The number of people whose vote would be unaffected by a policy to change the law decreased from 59% last year to 53% this year.

    __________________________________________________________________

    KEY FINDINGS

    73% oppose the anti-smacking law (47% ‘strongly disagree’)

    85% say the law should be changed

    37% say they are more likely to vote for party that promises change to the law

    More than half of mothers with children under 12 admit to flouting the law

    ___________________________________________________________________

    Of most significance is the finding that almost half (48%) of parents with children under 12 openly admit that they have flouted the law and have given their child a smack to correct their behaviour. Over half of the mums polled (51%) confessed to continuing their use of smacking.

    “This result is surprising, and a huge concern to us,” says Mr McCoskrie. “For a new law to be ignored by so many people who are willing to risk a police or CYF investigation indicates just how out of step with reality this law is.”

    “NZ’ers have not been fooled by the claims of the anti-smacking lobby that smacking is child abuse, they haven’t been duped by arguments that children are damaged by reasonable smacking, and they have understood that our unacceptable rate of child abuse has far deeper root causes that a loving parent who corrects their child with a smack on the bottom.”

    “Good parents have become victims of a badly drafted law.”

    When asked whether they thought the new law was likely to help reduce the rate of child abuse in NZ, 79% responded that it was not at all likely (up from 77% last year).

    As a result of these survey findings, Family First is calling on MPs to amend the Act, so that the law explicitly states that reasonable smacking for the purpose of correction is not a criminal act.

    The poll was conducted during the week beginning May 12, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

    Read Full Report –

    http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/FULL_REPORT.pdf

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

    For Graphs, go to:

    http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/Move_On_.pdf