From Family First NZ e-newsletter
Spot the difference!
6,000 bikers turned up at parliament and the government promised to act. 6,000 family members turned up in Queen St and only one politician turned up. What’s the difference? The only difference is the response!
Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz
please respond to: feedback@familyfirst.org.nz
From Family First NZ e-newsletter
6,000 join
‘March for Democracy’
Protesters March on City NZ Herald Nov 21, 2009 READ MORE Herald on Sunday 22 Nov 09 READ MORE
MEDIA COVERAGE:
TV3 News WATCH HERE
TV3 News Full Interviews with Bob McCoskrie, Colin Craig and Garth McVicar WATCH HERE
TVOne News WATCH HERE
NZ Herald WATCH HERE
Newstalk ZB Bob McCoskrie talks to Larry Williams before the March LISTEN HERE
Marchers want to meet PM
NZPA 22/11/2009
The organisers of this weekend’s “March for Democracy” say the Government’s response will determine how far and wide they take the campaign. READ MORE
Anti-smacking march may move to other cities
NZ Herald 23 Nov 09 READ MORE
Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz
STOP PRESS: PM Agrees To Meet With March Organisers http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0911/S00252.htm
25 November 2009
New Deputy Commissioner Will Speak For Families
Family First NZ is welcoming the appointment of Parents Inc’s Bruce Pilbrow as Deputy Families Commissioner.
“Bruce Pilbrow will bring some much needed balance at the Commission and rather than talking at parents, it will hopefully start listening to the voice of families and advocating for them in a relevant way,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“Unfortunately it isolated itself by ignoring some of its own research and the voice of the overwhelming majority of parents when it supported ramming through the anti-smacking law without representing the concerns and views of parents.”
“Pilbrow’s politically incorrect views on the smacking law – ironically shared by almost 90% of the country – shows that he’s willing to move past the rhetoric and ideology, and objectively examine the facts and experiences of families.”
“The appointment suggests that the government is willing to have a diversity of opinion in the Commission. This can only strengthen the important debates to be had around family issues,” says Mr McCoskrie.
“Issues such as the benefits of marriage, the harm of long term daycare for very young children, an independent CYF Complaints authority, the sexualisation of children in marketing, drug and alcohol abuse in our communities, and broadcasting and advertising standards are all big issues for families which the Commission needs to tackle head-on,” says Mr McCoskrie.
Family First would still like to see the appointment of a Minister of Families at the Cabinet table.
ENDS
For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:
Sign up now to received FREE email updates of issues affecting families – be informed! http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/index.cfm/Sign_Up
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20 Nov 2009
Hi Barbara,
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Family Integrity #488 — MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY Update
For Your Information, information from Family First NZ
Craig & Barbara Smith
Please spread the word this weekend. Families are worth marching for!
1. Another s59 Review-Same Sales Pitch
Media Release – Family First 11 November 09
Key points
* The SEVENTH review of this law in just over 2 years, and another to come in less than a month!
* Simply looks at figures but still fails to interview parents and families reported, investigated, and some even prosecuted. What is the effect of the law on them?
Family First is labelling the latest report on the anti-smacking law as the ‘Ostrich’ report – the head in the sand report – a non-independent report by a government department on behalf of the government trying to justify a flawed and ineffective law . Ironically they’re trying to justify a law by saying it’s doing nothing ! And most disturbingly the child abuse and assault rates march on – which the report acknowledges. There’s plenty of evidence of investigation and persecution of good parents already provided by Family First, but the bottom line is that the politicians are trying to justify criminalising an action that the overwhelming majority of NZ’ers don’t believe should be criminalised. We have never had so many reports trying to justify a law change ! As was famously stated, you can put lipstick on a pig but its still a pig! NZ’ers want the real causes of child abuse tackled – and urgently.
ENDS
2. MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY Update
Tell our elected representatives to represent families
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD :
This weekend, at church or any social group that you may be attending, could you print out some flyers and distribute them. They have all the details you need (shown below)
The originals can be downloaded from the website http://www.themarch.co.nz/ and click on Banners . The flyers are available as a single page or 2-up and 4-up for easy printing and distributing. Drop them in the local letterboxes or leave on the counter of any shops that give you permission. There’s also a selection of attention=grabbing posters on the website that you can download and print as well!
3. Volunteers Needed
If you would be available on the day of the March to either
* assist with security, people flow, giving out tickets for prizes, and protection of stage equipment etc (you even get a free t-shirt to keep as a momento!!)
* help carry two Family First banners as you march up Queen St (needs 5 people per banner)
please email admin@familyfirst.org.nz as soon as possible, and we’ll email the details. Make it a team effort!
Thanks for your help. Democracy is worthing speak up for!
See you at The March!!
Check out the website http://www.themarch.co.nz/ for lots of other information and details.
Have a great weekend
Bob McCoskrie
National Director
Please feel free share this information
OPEN LETTER
DEMOCRACY
Should politicians have to listen to you?
The politicians have a bad track record with citizen’s initiated referendums..
o In 1999, 82% of NZ’ers said the number of MP’s should be reduced to 99 – the politicians ignored it
o In 1999, 92% of NZ’ers said that the needs of victims should have greater emphasis, restitution and compensation should be provided, and there should be minimum sentences and hard labour for all serious violent offences – in response, the politicians reduced parole eligibility to 1/3’rd of sentences, instructed judges to impose the least restrictive sentence, and have made unenforceable token gestures towards victims
o In 2009, 87.4% said that a smack for the purpose of correction should not be a crime under the law – the politicians ignored it
o And some people believe that we need a referendum on the proposed Auckland ‘Supercity’ because of the major changes it makes to the form of citizen representation.
It’s about time the politicians got the message!
As you know, we are working with businessman Colin Craig on the March for Democracy www.themarch.co.nz
Colin Craig has been quoted as saying that he finds it “ deeply disturbing that such a clear message from the people of this country to government has been ignored. My forefathers fought for a democracy and in a democracy the government does not pass and retain laws that nearly 90% of the people don’t want. It is my turn to help fight for the rights of ordinary New Zealanders.”
Colin isn’t just talking. He’s putting his money where his mouth is. And we need to get in behind him.
As you can see, the purpose of this March goes even further than just the anti-smacking law. When NZ’ers and families speak with such a loud and united voice, as they have on these issues, the politicians must not be allowed to ignore them. It is significant that politicians are willing to accept democracy when it is to their benefit (i.e. getting elected!) but are willing to blatantly ignore it when suits their political agenda.
The March is not a one-off – it is part of a long term strategy to bring representative democracy back to NZ
Ironically, it appears that political parties are keen to accept petitions in their favour – United Future on daylight saving , Labour on night-classes – and they also support Referendums – National on MMP , Labour on the Auckland SuperCity , and the Greens on the Monarchy – but when it’s a Citizen’s Initiated Referendum, they suddenly go deaf!
When the law was passed in 1993 allowing referendums to be initiated by the people, senior National MP Sir Doug Graham said “..it will be obvious that, if the public overwhelmingly supported a proposition contained in a referendum, clearly it would have great persuasive weight and any Government that simply ignored it would do so at its peril .”
PLEASE MARK 1.30pm SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER (meeting at the bottom of Queen St Auckland) IN YOUR DIARY – AND MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY!
More details will be added to the website over the next couple of weeks www.themarch.co.nz
Thanks for your consideration.
Kind regards
Bob McCoskrie
National Director
Family Integrity #483 — Girls and Gardasil
(From Family First’s Mid-Week update):
Girls and Gardasil: the protection game
MercatorNet 22 Oct 09
A mother and public health student offers ten reasons not to vaccinate children against a sexually transmitted disease. The arguments for and against this particular immunisation are rarely provided by schools, yet parents, for the sake of their children, need to consider carefully the messages they are conveying by agreeing to this vaccine.
http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/girls_and_gardasil_the_protection
The March for Democracy will be held
1.30pm Sat 21 November, Queen St Auckland
Official Website : www.themarch.co.nz
More details to come
The ad campaign so far….
Barnardos Labels Marchers ‘Ignorant’!
In an incredible outburst, Advocacy Manager for Barnardos Deborah Morris-Travers, who ran the Yes vote campaign at the recent election, has written to the NZ Herald and attacked the upcoming March for Democracy, saying that the march will ” mobilise the ignorant “! This is an example of the lack of respect that some government funded organisations and some politicians and ex-politicians have for the democratic process and the voice of NZ families. 
It is ironic that Morris-Travers was a Minister of the Crown complements of a change in the voting system from FPP to MMP that less people voted for than voted in the anti-smacking Referendum.
If you want a reason to march , stand up against being labelled IGNORANT simply because you want a democratic country that listens to the voice of NZ’ers, and you want to tackle real abuse – not real parents.
March to call for action on smacking referendum
NZ Herald Oct 27, 2009
A march to protest the Government’s lack of action following the so-called anti-smacking referendum has been announced today. Colin Craig, an Auckland businessman said the march is about democracy and the government has so far ignored the majority of referendum respondents who voted against the repeal of Section 59 of the Crimes Act. …Family First director Bob McCroskie said his group wanted to tackle “rotten parents” but the repeal of Section 59 was not the answer. “A bad law is still a bad law even if law abiding citizens follow it,” Mr McCroskie said.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10605638
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10605777
Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz
