Family Integrity

Tag: Referendum

  • Nats to give cash from family body to churches

    Nats to give cash from family body to churches
    Dominion Post and Christchurch Press 09 September 2008


    A National government will axe the Families Commission and give the savings to community groups, including churches, leader John Key has told a Family First forum. …
    The National leader was questioned on the removal of section 59 of the Crimes Act, which took away the defence of reasonable force for parents who hit their children. National supported the legislation but has been under pressure from lobby groups such as Family First to repeal it. One man asked Mr Key whether he would restore his right to “discipline my child lovingly”. Mr Key said that he sought a compromise on section 59 because it was clear that Labour was going to force the bill through anyway. He repeated his previous pledge that if he saw evidence the legislation was not working he would repeal it. “To this point I haven’t seen such evidence.” But he added that if an upcoming referendum – which calls for parental correction through a smack to be lawful – gave a strong mandate for change then a future government would need to listen to the result.
    Mr Key was also asked whether he supported a law change on abortion. He said it was a conscience issue, but he did not support any change to the existing law.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4685886a23917.html
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4685704a6160.html?source=email

  • Anti-smack bill reform possible, says Key

    Anti-smack bill reform possible, says Key


    NZ Herald September 09, 2008

    The National Party will consider changing the anti-smacking laws if New Zealanders demand changes in a referendum, leader John Key says. The law was hot on the agenda at the NZ Forum on the Family in South Auckland yesterday, with Mr Key saying a strong referendum result should give a National government the confidence to change the legislation. Family First NZ hosted the event which gathered around 70 “pro-family groups” to listen to party leaders present their family-based policies.
    Act leader Rodney Hide said: “You don’t need a referendum to convince me that this legislation is wrong.
    United Future leader Peter Dunne said he would not change the existing law because of his belief in the worth of the child.
    The other key concerns raised were whether civil unions would be abolished and whether abortion law would remain the same under a new government. Mr Key, Mr Hide and Mr Dunne all said there would be no changes made to civil unions. Mr Dunne said United Future would review abortion law.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=144&objectid=10531208

  • Family First Welcomes Comments by Key on Smacking Referendum

    MEDIA RELEASE

    9 September 2008

    Family First Welcomes Comments by Key on Smacking Referendum

    Family First NZ is welcoming comments made by National leader John Key at the Forum on the Family in Auckland yesterday that National will listen to the results of a Referendum on the anti-smacking law.

    “The large majority of politicians ignored the overwhelming majority of NZ’ers who were opposed to the legislation in the first place. Labour is now trying to ‘bury’ the Referendum for political expediency. And there is no guarantee that any party will even listen to the result of the Referendum,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “This is the first indication that National will acknowledge the voice of NZ’ers on this contentious issue.”

    “Polls continue to show overwhelming opposition to the anti-smacking law because it has failed to deal with actual child abuse, has targeted good families with investigation, prosecutions and persecution, yet has been trumpeted by supporters as a success because nobody has been imprisoned.”

    “NZ needs laws that target actual child abuse, prevent child abuse deaths, and that target the major contributing causes including drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown, and rotten parents.”

    “Voters should never have had to resort to a Referendum in the first place to be heard. The message was clear to politicians.”

    ENDS

    For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:

    Bob McCoskrie JP – National Director

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

  • Test of Democracy In Parliament Today

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00346.htm

    MEDIA RELEASE

    27 August 2008

    Test of Democracy In Parliament Today

    Family First NZ says that there will be a test in Parliament today of whether NZ is a democracy that represents the voice of New Zealanders.

    Independent MP Gordon Copeland is seeking the leave of the House for a debate on a motion that the House recommends to the Government that that anti-smacking referendum be held at the same time as the General Election. (Under section 22AA (5) of the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act 1993, a Referendum can be scheduled for polling day if the “House of Representatives passes a resolution requiring the indicative referendum to be held on the polling day for the general election.” A postal vote can also close on Election day.)

    “That is an ordinary 50% majority vote in the House,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “We are therefore calling on all politicians to acknowledge the voice of 310,000 signatories to the petition and require that the Referendum be held at the most obvious and effective time of the upcoming election.”

    In a recent online poll by TVNZ, 81% of the 4624 voters said that the referendum should be held at the same time as the election.

    “The excuses presented in the Cabinet briefing paper simply don’t stack up,” says Mr McCoskrie. “The paper acknowledges that better organisation such as separate ballot boxes and colour coding would solve many of the problems experienced in 1999.”

    “It is also an insult to voters to suggest that voters would be confused by an extra question in the ballot box. Voters have been able to grasp the far more difficult MMP voting process,”

    Family First NZ is also disappointed that the Deputy Prime Minister Dr Michael Cullen yesterday refused to allow acknowledgement of the huge effort put in by organisers of the two petitions on this issue which obtained more than 600,000 signatures. (The second petition fell just short of the required numbers).

    “Democracy is defined as being where the people have a voice through their elected representatives. Today will be a test of whether we do live in a democracy,” 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

  • SUCCESS! NZ’ers Deliver Strong Message on Anti-Smacking Law

    SUCCESS!

    NZ’ers Deliver Strong Message on Anti-Smacking Law

    Family First Media Release 22 August 2008

    Family First NZ is welcoming the success of the petition demanding a Referendum on the flawed anti-smacking law.

    “To reach the required 285,000 signatures is difficult enough, but the final result shows that an extra 25,000 signatures have been attained. This is evidence of just how strong the opposition to this law is,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

    “The evidence is pouring in that good families are being both persecuted and also prosecuted with eight prosecutions for minor acts of physical discipline in a recent six month period.”

    “The rate of CYF notifications has sky-rocketed yet actual cases of child abuse found are remaining the same, and in some areas like the Waikato, actually falling.”

    “The anti-smacking law has failed miserably. You know a law is flawed when it fails to address the problem it was supposed to, and implicates good families in the process. Supporters of the law are trying to herald its success because they incorrectly claim nobody has been prosecuted. But we actually want a law that works and catches actual child abuse!”

    “The only reason the law was passed in the first place was because the two major parties were whipped to vote for it – which is a little ironic in itself, being an anti-smacking law,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    Family First NZ continues to call on the politicians to change the law so that non-abusive smacking is not a crime (as wanted by 85% of NZ’ers according to research), and to tackle the real causes of child abuse.

    ENDS

    www.familyfirst.org.nz

  • Petition succeeds- referendum to be held

    The Kiwi Party
    Press Release

    Kiwi Party Leader and CIR Petition organiser Larry Baldock welcomed the news today that the petition has been certified by the Clerk of the House of Representatives to have achieved sufficient signatures to force a referendum on the question, “should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”

    “This is great news and a huge victory,” said Mr Baldock.

    “It has been a long battle to assert the right of all New Zealanders to be heard on this controversial issue. Quite frankly in a democracy it should not require so much effort. I want to pay tribute to Sheryl Savill who was prepared to put her name to the petition, and the thousands of volunteers that have helped us collect over 390,000 signatures,” Mr Baldock said.

    The clerk of the house has declared that 310,000 signatures were certified as valid.

    This means there were over 25 000 more signatures than the 285 027 required by the CIR Act 1993 to force a referendum.

    “The referendum should be held at this year’s election. None of the reasons being given by the Prime Minister for delaying it make any sense at all, and are simply a tactic for her to try and avoid this being an election issue. She will not drown out the voice of the people and should realise there is no point further angering everyone by delaying the inevitable.

    “Justice delayed is justice denied, Prime Minister. 110 MPs should never have ignored 80% of the population in the first place, and the right thing to do now is to let every Kiwi have their say as quickly as possible.

    “The Kiwi Party have made it our number one priority to ensure that voice of the people in this referendum is respected. There is ample evidence that good mums and dads are now being prosecuted by this new law, while there is no evidence that it has led to any reduction in the real child abuse we are all concerned about,” said Mr Baldock.

    Ends

    Contact Larry Baldock
    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Kiwi Party leader outlines first five pledges.

    Addressing his party’s annual conference today, party leader Larry Baldock announced their first five priorities for action they would be working on after the election.

    “Our number one priority is of course to stop the criminalisation of good parents by repealing the anti-smacking law. This has to be the most anti-family socially destructive legislation parliament has passed in a long while. Completing the petition to force a referendum was always only going to be the first stage of the battle,” said Mr Baldock

    “It is simply not good enough for John Key to say he supports the peoples’ right to have their voice heard in a referendum without committing his Government to abide by the result.

    “In fact when National’s leader John Key announced their pledge of 10 policy items at their conference last weekend not a single one of them addresses any of the social engineering Labour has forced upon the nation in the past 6 -9 years.

    National surely is the party to maintain the status quo, easy she goes, don’t rock the boat.
    It is essential therefore that the Kiwi party is able to exercise influence over National after this years election if voters want to see the social engineering of Labour repealed.

    “Our message to the voters in this election is this, give the Kiwi party your support on Election Day and the Bradford anti-smacking law will be gone by lunchtime. Once the law has been repealed we must then get serious about the nations child abuse by appointing a Royal Commission  to understand and address the wider causes of family breakdown, family violence and child abuse in response to the more than 300, 000 kiwis that signed our petition on this matter.

    “Then we must restore our democracy by ensuring that we can have binding referenda on controversial issues. It must never happen again that more than 90% of our elected representatives could ignore 80% of the population ever again……….

    Contact Larry Baldock
    Party Leader
    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Kiwi Party Outlines Plans for Changes to Referenda Law

    Embargoed till 11AM August 9th.

    Announcing the results of the audit on the petition to force a referendum on the ‘Anti-smacking’ law, party leader Larry Baldock also outlined The Kiwi Party’s pledge to make changes to the Citizens Initiated Referenda Act (CIR) at its National Conference this weekend in Auckland.

    “We are now certain to have a referendum which is great news. The audit carried out on the more than 390,000 signatures collected and handed in to parliament on 23rd June, has given sufficient valid signatures to assure the referendum should proceed as planned. The Government Statistician now has until 23rd August to complete their final analysis of the results before the Clerk delivers the verdict to the Speaker of the House. Based on the Chief Electoral Officer’s audit, I am very confident we will have succeeded. It has been a huge task and I am relieved that this stage of our fight against this undemocratic and stupid law is now over.” Mr Baldock said

    “The Kiwi Party would make three changes to the current arrangements for Referenda:

    “Decrease to 5% of the electoral role the requirement needed to force a referendum.  The current rate of 10% is too high and why so few ever succeed, and probably the way the National and Labour parties like it to be. While 42 CIR petitions have been started, only three have been completed in the past 14 years. Confirmation of the referendum on the ‘Anti-smacking’ law would be the fourth.

    “Make referenda binding when they concern legislation already passed by Parliament.

    “In the future, make all Private Members Bills subject to referenda before becoming law.

    “It is of course disappointing that the Prime Minister is afraid to hold the referendum at the election, but her actions will only delay the inevitable.

    “To ensure this referendum is respected it is essential that The Kiwi Party receives the support of those concerned about the Government trying to tell parents how to raise their children. We have a message to the good parents of New Zealand. Give the Kiwi Party your vote at this year’s election, and once the result of the referendum is known, we pledge to make sure it is gone by lunchtime.” Mr Baldock said.

    Ends

    Contact
    Larry Baldock Party Leader

    021864833

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz

  • Larry Baldock: National have no intention of repealing s59

    Hi everyone.

    Recent comments reported in the media by John key have made it abundantly clear that National have no intention of repealing Sue Bradford’s anti-smacking law.

    National’s call for the referendum to be held at the election so New Zealanders can have their say is meaningless if they are not prepared to listen and respond to the result of the referendum.

    You will recall I said very clearly that if we want to see the law changed it is essential that the Kiwi party hold the balance of power after this election.

    In less than 4 months New Zealand will hold a general election and we have much to do to prepare the Kiwi Party for a successful result.

    The good news is that we have come along way in the five months since our registration with the Electoral Commission was finalised.  Regional conferences have been held in eight cities and Kiwi Party committees have been established and are preparing for action in the coming months.

    The Party now has over 1000 members. At every meeting where we have the opportunity to present what the Kiwi Party stands for we find an almost 100% positive response from those who attend.

    National Conference
    In just over two weeks we will hold our Kiwi Party National conference in Auckland on Aug 9 at the Ellislie Racecourse.

    We have an exciting line up of speakers from within the party and invited guests. You can register directly on line.

    Nationwide Protest
    We are discussing the potential for launching a campaign to protest the Prime Ministers disregard for democracy by not holding the referendum at the election. We are formulating plans and will advise you shortly. I am keen to hear from anyone who would be interested in helping organise a protest gathering in your city or town.

    Warm regards,

    Larry Baldock
    Kiwi Party Leader.

    www.thekiwiparty.org.nz