Family Integrity

Tag: Family First NZ

  • Latest Smacking Poll – Same Result

    MEDIA RELEASE

    17 June 2009

    Latest Smacking Poll – Same Result

    Family First NZ says the latest poll on smacking shows that the opposition to non-abusive smacking remains minimal and the law should be changed now rather than after a costly Referendum.

    “The Yahoo online poll has had over 16,000 votes and shows huge support for parents using a smack for the purpose of correction,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “This poll simply reflects every independent poll done both before the law was changed and after the law was changed.”

    The question asks “Is smacking an acceptable form of punishment for kids?”

    35% (5696 votes) responded ‘Yes, if they need a short, sharp shock’ and 52% (8451 votes)  said ‘Sometimes – if the situation demands it.”

    Only 11% (1870 votes) said ‘No, it’s never okay’, and 2% were undecided.

    Family First is calling on the government to  establish a Commission of Enquiry into tackling the real causes of child abuse.

    “We owe it to good parents to get this law right,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Let’s target the real causes of child abuse – not real parents.”

    AFTER LAW PASSED

    Curia Research Mar 08 83% want law changed to allow light smacking
    Research International     Feb 2008                       74%     parents should be able to smack

    Curia Research May 08                                    85% want law changed to allow light smacking

    TVNZ June 08                                                  85% NO – do you think anti-smacking law should stay

    NZ Herald Online Poll 25 June 2008 Should there be a referendum on the smacking legislation at this year’s election?

    Yes: 3746 (81%)  No: 878 (19%)   Total Votes: 4624

    Otago Daily Times 28 June 08 68% up to parents to decide

    (280 votes) 21% children should be legally protected

    11% depends on the case

    www.littlies.co.nz/ July 2008 One year on, do you think the anti-smacking Bill has proved to be effective?
    Yes (7%)
    No (87%)
    Unsure (7%)

    NZ Herald Sep 08 Should smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in NZ 86% No

    Online 90% (2800 votes)

    BEFORE LAW PASSED

    MARAE DigiPoll (1,000 Maori voters)               80%

    Anti-smackingvote.co.nz Apr 2007                  70% (43,000 votes!)

    http://www.antismackingvote.co.nz/poll+results Zenago Internet Solutions

    Treasures website Apr 2007                               85% (1972 votes)

    Waikato Times Apr 4 2007                                 87%

    TV3 TNS Mar 29 2007                                        69% (70% support smacking)  **

    TVNZ Colmar Brunton Mar 26 2007                   83%

    Research NZ Mar 26 2007                                  73%

    Bay of Plenty Times Text Poll Mar 26 2007 94.6%

    TV3 Website poll Mar 14 2007                           89%

    NZ News – Yahoo .com Mar 13 2007     92%    (7643 votes)

    TV3 News Poll Mar 2007                                   83%

    NZ Herald Feb 2007                                           90%      (3874 votes)

    TVNZ website Feb 2007                                   87%

    STUFF website July 2006                                  82%     (6700 votes!)

    TVNZ website July 2006                                    88%

    Bay of Plenty Times May 2006                          83%

    Child Abuse Conference Feb 2006                   82%

    STUFF website Feb 2006                                 84%

    Dominion Post Feb 2006                                   82%

    STUFF website March 2005                              86%

    NZ Herald July 2005                                          71%

    STUFF website June 2005                                82%

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

  • Bradford Referendum Bill Should be Sent to Time Out

    MEDIA RELEASE

    17 June 2009

    Bradford Referendum Bill Should be Sent to Time Out

    Family First NZ says that NZ’ers have no problem understanding the Referendum question, and the claims that it is misleading and ambiguous is simply an expression of frustration from the politicians who introduced the flawed law in the first place.

    “The squeals of horror coming from the politicians is not because of the question asked, but because of the answer that they come to – no!,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “The law currently states that a good parent raising great kids and who may use a smack on the bottom for the purpose of correction is to be treated under the law in the same way as a rotten parent who abuses their kids.”

    “This is complete nonsense, shows a disrespect for the already difficult role of parenting, and explains why the opposition to the anti-smacking law continues to remain at such high levels.”

    “NZ’ers are desparate for laws that target the real causes of child abuse – not laws that target real parents.”

    “Sue Bradford’s proposal to amend the law is simply chucking the toys out of the cot in a tantrum, and the proposal should be immediately sent to ‘time out’,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

  • Sue Reid: Smacking laws were never about the real issue of child abuse

    This was in the NZ Herald .

    It is a shame that we have a Families Commission that is driven by ideology rather than listening to families.

    Chief commissioner Jan Pryor espouses her beliefs that “positive parenting should never include a smack” (Herald, April 3).

    Her so-called justification for the anti-smacking laws are inflammatory and continue to vilify good parents who may use a smack as part of good parental correction.

    As a mother of two young children, I resent the constant barrage that fully funded, power-packed organisations such as the Families Commission can constantly deliver from their lofty soap-boxes.

    One can be left wondering who represents mums like me who are focused on the task of raising good, law-abiding and positive contributors to society. Like many other mums, I know that I wish to parent within a sensible legal framework and we owe it to good parents to get this law right.

    The new flawed law has tried to link a smack on the bottom with child abuse of the worst kind and has put good parents in the same category as rotten parents who are a danger to their kids and to society.

    Not surprisingly, the child abuse rate has continued unabated, with 12 child abuse deaths in the 21 months since the law change – the same rate as before the change. The smacking laws were never about addressing the real issue of child abuse but to undermine and criminalise good parents.

    Contrary to Pryor’s comments, the new law did introduce a new criminal offence – smacks for the purpose of correction, no matter how light, are a crime.

    Police reports show four prosecutions in a six-month period for “minor acts of physical discipline” and report a 200 per cent increase in families being investigated – yet fewer than 5 per cent were serious enough to warrant prosecution.

    And there has been a huge 32 per cent increase in CYF’s notifications, but the cases warranting further investigation haven’t increased – in other words, valuable resources and time are taken away from the front line to deal with the real cases of abuse.

    Family First NZ has plenty of evidence on its website of families being investigated and traumatised for complaints of light smacking, including parents who are referred to CYF by so-called helping agencies when they are simply seeking help, and of children ringing CYF to complain about their parents – imagine what that is like for a family.

    Pryor asks families to seek help but in a culture of being labelled “lowest common denominator”, this will do nothing to support and foster good parenting.

    She says “there is no legal justification for the use of force to correct a child’s behaviour”, so why does “positive parenting” not include correction? As a mother I need to be able to teach my child right from wrong and it is an ongoing process to “correct” my child’s behaviour – society expects me to fulfil this role.

    We can all lament the daily cases in the media whereby individuals have not “corrected” their behaviour and have become a blight on society. Many parents would testify to aspects that are less than positive in the training of a child for the adult world.

    I am sure the child does not see “time out” in a positive light nor see grounding as positive. Parents are often seen in negative light when they proceed with knowing best what will work for their child.

    The role of parent is set apart from other relationships such as in the workplace or a sports team. Parents have the reserved responsibility to raise, train and shape the will and character of their child to maturity. Adults have already mastered that task – so the argument that Pryor puts forth about smacking another adult is null and void.

    It is important to progress through to a referendum in July. This issue continues to be a strong, unresolved matter for most parents. After all, this was a citizens’ initiated referendum and the democratic process needs to complete its cycle by asking the voting public, “should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence?”

    People who don’t like the question in the referendum simply don’t like the answer they come to.

    Organisations such as the Families Commission would better serve families when they consider the attitudes, needs and requirements of families rather than using their government-funded weight to impose a flawed ideology on to good, healthy, functioning families.

    * Sue Reid is a researcher and writer for Family First NZ.

  • 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

  • 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

  • Smacking Equated with Torture and Death Penalty

    MEDIA RELEASE

    20 May 2009

    Smacking Equated with Torture and Death Penalty

    Family First NZ says that the United Nations Committee on Torture has equated a kiwi parent using a smack for the purpose of correction as a form of torture, and compared the anti-smacking law to the abolition of the death penalty.

    “This report has been promoted by groups supporting the anti-smacking law including Plunket, Barnardos, the Families Commission and EPOCH and shows a view of parenting completely removed from reality,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “To link a parent who corrects a child using a smack with torture, the death penalty, and tasering of violent offenders is both breathtaking and insulting, and shows why these groups have failed to get the huge majority of NZ parents on side in this debate.”

    “They argue that the anti-smacking law has been introduced to meet the recommendations made by both the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Committee on Torture.”

    “This simply reinforces the overriding concern that the anti-smacking law had nothing to do with child abuse and was more to do with an ideologically flawed and UN-driven agenda.”

    “But 80% of NZ’ers knew that the anti-smacking law would have no affect on child abuse anyway,” says Bob McCoskrie. “It’s time we tackled the real causes.”

    Full report: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SNAA-7S49PY?OpenDocument

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42

  • Family First Welcomes Bill to Fix Smacking Law

    MEDIA RELEASE

    19 March 2009

    Family First Welcomes Bill to Fix Smacking Law

    Family First NZ is ‘stoked’ that ACT List MP John Boscawen has announced his intention to introduce a Private Members Bill to amend the anti-smacking law.

    “Our polling along with every other poll done over the past 3 years shows that approximately 80% of NZ’ers oppose this law – and for good reason,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “This flawed law has attempted to link a smack on the bottom with child abuse of the worst kind, and has put good parents raising law-abiding and responsible citizens in the same category as rotten parents who are a danger to their kids and to society in general.”

    “Not surprisingly, the child abuse rate has continued unabated with 12 child abuse deaths in the 21 months since the law was passed – the same rate as before the law was passed.”

    “Family First research has also shown that parents are hugely confused over the legal effect of the law. Parents have a right to know whether they are parenting within the law or not.”

    The 2007 UNICEF report on child wellbeing said “the likelihood of a child being injured or killed is associated with poverty, single-parenthood, low maternal education, low maternal age at birth, poor housing, weak family ties, and parental drug or alcohol abuse.”

    Family First is calling on National to adopt this bill as a government bill, to acknowledge the important and valued role of good parents, and to then target resources and effort at 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

  • Amendment To Fix Broken Anti-Smacking Law

    Amendment To Fix Broken Anti-Smacking Law

    Immediate Release: Thursday March 19, 2009

    ACT New Zealand MP John Boscawen today announced that he will introduce a Private Member’s Bill to amend the controversial Anti-Smacking law inflicted on New Zealanders by Labour and the Greens in 2007.

    “My announcement coincides with yesterday’s release of a poll that shows widespread support for the law to be altered,” Mr Boscawen said.

    “This poll, commissioned by Family First NZ and conducted by Curia Market Research, surveyed the views of 1,000 everyday New Zealanders – 83 percent of whom felt the law should be changed, with a total 77 percent of respondents believing the law would not help reduce our child abuse rates.

    “While addressing the concerns of those who felt that the original section 59 of the Crimes Act was too vague, my amendment to the law will protect from criminalisation those parents who use a light smack for the purpose of correction.

    “The amendment will change the Act so that: it is no longer a crime for parents or guardians to use reasonable force to correct children; there are clear statutory limits on what constitutes reasonable force; parents and guardians have certainty about what the law permits; it is no longer reliant on police discretion for the law to be practical and workable.

    “In an attempt to curb child abuse, this law has simply criminalised law-abiding parents and removed their freedom to decide how best to raise their children – something that ACT has consistently opposed.

    “The Labour we know best’ Government is out and National is now in.  Perhaps we will now begin to see an end to the madness of the past nine years – where politicians saw fit to tell New Zealanders how to live their lives,” Mr Boscawen said.

    ENDS

    Media Contact: Shelley Mackey, Press Secretary, 04 817 6634 / 021 242 785.

  • FAMILY FIRST NZ – Massive support for law change

    Press Release from Family First NZ

    We thought you’d be interested in our (Family First NZ) latest Media Release. Feel free to forward it on to your local MP and others on your Contacts list.
    PS If you support the work and ‘voice’ of Family First NZ and would be willing to contribute towards the cost of this research, we would greatly appreciate it! DONATE HERE Thank you!

    Family First Media Release 18 March 2009

    83% Still Want


    Smacking


    Law Fixed – Poll


    Almost two years after the passing of the controversial anti-smacking law, more than 80% of NZ’ers still want the law changed and 77% say that the law won’t have any effect on our unacceptable child abuse rate.

    These are the key finding of research commissioned by Family First NZ, following on from similar research in 2007 and 2008. The Curia Market Research poll surveyed 1,000 people, and also found huge confusion over the legal effect of the law.

    83% 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 (85% in 2008, 82% in 2007).

    _________________________________________________________________
    KEY FINDINGS
    83% say the law should be changed – only 13% say to keep it as is
    77% says the law won’t help reduce the rate of child abuse in NZ
    Less than one third of respondents actually understand the law
    _________________________________________________________________

    “This is essentially the same question that will be put to NZ’ers in the Referendum at the end of July. The government can save $8 million of taxpayer funding towards the cost of running the Referendum during a recession, and amend the law now,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    Respondents were also asked whether the new law makes it always illegal for parents to give their children a light smack. 55% said yes, 31% said no, and 14% didn’t know.

    “This proves just how confusing the law is to parents and it is this confusion that is causing huge harm. Parents have been given conflicting messages by the promoters of the law, legal opinions have contradicted each other, and on top of that is police discretion but not CYF discretion to investigate.”

    “Parents have a right to know whether they are parenting within the law or not. This law has just created confusion and as a result, good parents are being victimised,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Meanwhile, the rate of child abuse continues. This flawed law must be fixed and the real causes of child abuse confronted.”

    The poll was conducted during the week beginning March 9, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.2%.

    ENDS

    www.familyfirst.org.nz | About us | Media Centre | Contact Us | Support Us

  • School Bullying Expected Outcome of Social Agenda

    MEDIA RELEASE 16 March 2009

    School Bullying Expected Outcome of Social Agenda

    Family First NZ says that concerns about school bullying are a simple result of the culture we have experimented with, which includes children’s rights, media standards, undermining the role of parents, and removing consequences.

    “Why are we surprised by bullying and violence in our schools when children are fed this material through the media constantly,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Kids are bullying each other, kids are bullying teachers, kids are bullying parents. Bullying is not just a school problem, and it’s not just a youth problem.”

    “We cannot continue to feed the minds of our young people with the level of violence, sexual content and disrespect for authority that is prevalent in the media and our culture without it affecting the minds of some of our most impressionable and at-risk teenagers and children.”

    “But schools are suffering in particular because they are being forced by the Ministry of Education to put up with increasing levels of unacceptable behaviour and are being criticised for suspending these students.”

    “It is also significant that as schools have removed corporal punishment, schools have become more dangerous. School yard bullying by pupils on other pupils and staff is now the new form of ‘corporal punishment’ in schools.”

    “All of these young people have entered a system of education and society where discipline and responsibility are being replaced by the politically correct nonsense of children’s rights. Ironically, this has been pushed by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner who is now crying foul.”

    “The anti-smacking law has also 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.”

    Sweden, one of the first countries to ban smacking in 1979 suffered a similar fate with assaults by kids increasing 672% in the 13 years following the ban. A recent UN report on European Crime and Safety found that Sweden had one of the worst assault and sexual violence rates in EU.

    “Student behaviour and bullying will continue to deteriorate for as long as we tell them that their rights are more important than their responsibilities, that proper parental authority is undermined by politicians and subject to the rights of their children, and that there will be no consequences of any significance or effectiveness for what they do,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie – National Director

    Mob. 027 55 555 42