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In this issue (31 August 2010)... 1. Govt Sends Message That Under-Age Drinking OK 2. Imprisoning fewer 'will not work' 3. Criminals in our classrooms 4. Sperm-donors' kids seek more rights, respect 5. Teen sex, abortions linked to binge drinking 6. Children 'at risk from pop charts porn' 7. Public divided over euthanasia 8. Bob McCoskrie to speak at Pro-Life Conference ALCOHOL 1.Govt Sends Message Under-Age Drinking OK  Family First Media Release 24 August 2010 Family First NZ is disappointed that the government is wanting to put the onus on parents about under-age drinking rather than supporting parents with laws and enforcement based on evidence and science. “The government is telling parents today that underage drinkers can drink away at parties and after-balls – as long as parents have said ok. This is hugely problematic because we know that a huge proportion of the underage drinking problem is due to parents supplying the alcohol,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Unfortunately many parents are unaware of the research or unconcerned about the effect of early age drinking.” “It also sends a message to teenagers that if they can pressure mum and dad, they can start drinking as soon as they like. Are we saying that a 9 year old who persuades their dysfunctional parents to supply them alcohol is somehow acceptable?” READ MORE Mum and Dad to decide if young Johnny gets booze NZ Herald Aug 24, 2010 READ MORE Alcohol reforms labelled 'half-hearted' ONE News August 23, 2010  Community groups say the government's alcohol reforms announced today will do nothing to curb binge drinking and the problems it causes in society. ...Family First NZ said the government had adopted a "we know better" attitude to community concerns expressed on the issue of alcohol abuse in the community, and as a result the problems of domestic violence, child abuse, underage drinking and binge drinking would continue. READ MORE READ HOW THE MP'S PLAN TO VOTE ON THE DRINKING AGE Commercial imperatives prevail Alcohol Action's excellent response to the Government’s alcohol plans Published in the Dominion Post 26 August 2010  The Government made an interesting little promise when announcing their long awaited response to the Law Commission’s review earlier this week which, more than the timid and minimal response itself, sums up their irresponsible and uncaring attitude to the victims of alcohol. Don't worry, they reassured the public, their weak new alcohol laws will not come into effect until after the Rugby World Cup. Consider how morally bankrupt this is. READ MOREPhoney booze war lacks fire power - Garth George NZ Herald Aug 26, 2010 If the Government's proposals for changes to the liquor laws are, as it says, an "all-out war on youth binge drinking", then it's destined to have about as much success as the campaign to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in World War I. ..As Family First director Bob McCoskrie says: "At a time when we're trying to tackle domestic violence and child abuse, which is far too often fuelled by alcohol abuse, the measures announced will make little difference ... populist policies that fail to rock the boat and fail to tackle the problem." READ MORE  Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz THREE STRIKES2.Imprisoning fewer 'will not work' BBC News 28 August 2010 Government plans to lock up fewer criminals would not reduce offending or cut costs, a report says. Ex-Home Office criminologist Professor Ken Pease said community sentences have no evident effect on reconviction rates in their current form. His report, Prison, Community Sentencing and Crime, has been released by the think-tank Civitas. It found * Existing community sentences, compared with prison sentences, have no apparent impact on re-offending rates. * Offenders are prevented from committing crimes against the general public while in prison. * The number of crimes committed by offenders is much larger than the number for which they are eventually convicted; for example one estimate suggested as many as 136 burglaries per conviction for burglary. * The substantial economic costs associated with each offence that have to be borne by individuals, businesses and public services. READ MORE Family First Comment: Further evidence showing why we supported the Three Strikes legislation - protection of public, low conviction rate on actual cimres committed, costs of crime to the community Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz EDUCATION 3.Criminals in our classrooms  Sunday Star Times 29/08/2010 Convicted criminals are teaching in New Zealand classrooms and Education Minister Anne Tolley has ordered an inquiry. Teachers have remained in our classrooms despite convictions for indecent assault on a student, threatening to kill, assault on a female and other acts of violence. In the last two years, 58 teachers have self-reported such a conviction to the council, including: * A teacher convicted of indecent assault against a teenage girl aged 14-16, in 2006. Sentenced to 200 hours' community work last year, he has full registration, subject to conditions. * A male convicted of assault with a blunt instrument and male assaults female. He was fined $2000 and sentenced to 100 hours' community work and also maintained full registration. * A male teacher convicted of possession of an objectionable publication is yet to be sentenced. He has full registration. * A teacher who was convicted of threatening to kill, and male assaults female, and sentenced to 300 hours' community work and six months' supervision, was granted registration but his practising certificate is pending. * A female convicted of grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard, and wounding with reckless disregard in 2008 was registered, but her practising certificate is also pending. READ MORE Family First Comment: Parents have a right to expect a high test of character for adults who are interacting with and teaching their children on a regular basis. The Teachers' Council has been more interested in the rights of teachers than the rights of parents and protection of children - this needs to change Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz IVF4.Sperm-donors' kids seek more rights, respect Washington Post August 16, 2010 Katrina Clark and Lindsay Greenawalt have much in common. Bright women in their 20s, raised by single mothers, keenly curious about the men whose donated sperm helped give them life. They want to transform the dynamics of sperm donation so the children's interests are given more weight and it becomes easier to learn about their biological fathers. One specific goal - a ban on anonymous sperm donations - seems far-off in the United States...A new film, "The Kids Are All Right," depicts two teenage siblings who track down their sperm-donor father and introduce him to their lesbian moms. Complications ensue, but the teens' yearning to meet their dad is portrayed empathetically. The film opened just weeks after the release of a provocative study by the Commission on Parenthood's Future, titled "My Daddy's Name is Donor." It surveyed 485 donor offspring, concluded they were more troubled and depression-prone than other young adults in comparison groups, and recommended an end to anonymous sperm donation. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ABORTION / PREGNANCY5.Teen sex, abortions linked to binge drinking Daily Mail (UK) 21st August 2010 The devastating effects of excess alcohol on young women have been spelled out by a major study. The study, the most extensive of its kind, paints a disturbing picture of girls having casual, unprotected sex under the influence of alcohol which they often regret as soon as they sober up. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzS*XUALISATION OF CHILDREN  6.Children 'at risk from pop charts porn'Daily Mail (UK) 11th August 2010 The man who helped launch the career of Kylie Minogue yesterday condemned modern pop culture for 'sexualising' youngsters. Mike Stock, one third of the legendary pop factory Stock, Aitken and Waterman, said: 'The music industry has gone too far. It's not about me being old fashioned. It's about keeping values that are important in the modern world. 'These days you can't watch modern stars - like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga - with a two-year-old. Ninety-nine per cent of the charts is R 'n' B and 99 per cent of that is soft pornography.' He continued: 'Kids are being forced to grow up too young. Look at the videos. I wouldn't necessarily want my young kids to watch them. READ MORE Did you miss the Forum on the Family? Watch this important interview with guest speaker Melinda Tankard Reist from Shine TV (interviewed just before she spoke at the Forum)  If you were unable to attend the FORUM ON THE FAMILY, or did attend and would like to be reminded of the excellent material and speakers from the day, you can purchase both DVD and CD's of the event. All the details and online orders can be made here http://www.faithnet.co.nz/tapes/ff10.html Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz EUTHANASIA7.Public divided over euthanasia The Dominion Post 23/08/2010 Public opinion remains divided over whether assisted suicide should be permitted, a poll shows. Research New Zealand polled 500 people aged over 15 on whether euthanasia should be legalised in New Zealand and found that 47 per cent supported assisted suicide and 44 per cent were opposed to it. Support for euthanasia was highest among older age groups. While just 39 per cent of 15 to 34-year-olds felt that assisted suicide should be permitted, more than 51 per cent of those aged 35 and over were in favour of the proposal. "The older people and those who have older relatives clearly feel differently about this issue than do the younger people," Research New Zealand director Emanuel Kalafatelis said. Among Maori and Pacific Island respondents, 37 per cent supported assisted suicide – significantly less than among the European population, in which 49 per cent voiced support. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzIn this issue (18 August 2010)... 1. Political Leaders Failing to Protect Families from Porn 2. Attacks on parents rise 3. Income Splitting Values Stay-Home Parent 4. MPs lean toward split drinking age 5. Expo ad has 50 complaints 6. Toddler beats hospital death sentence 7. Parents reveal biggest fears 8. Suicides outnumber road deaths FORUM ON THE FAMILY - DVD's and CD's Available PORNOGRAPHY 1.Leaders Failing Families On Porn  Family First Media Release 11 August 2010 Family First NZ is slamming a lack of political leadership at both a local and national level to regulating the hard core porn industry and its marketing, and recognizing its harmful effects on families. “The leadership has been spineless on this issue. Topless porn parades, billboards with sexually offensive images, and free vouchers for hard core porn dvd’s handed out at a public parade – and all literally (and figuratively) exposed to children and families. Where will it end?” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “Where is the outcry from our supercity mayoral candidates? Where is the concern from our political leaders?” READ MORE Porn Boss Sounding Like Tobacco Industry Family First Media Release 12 August 2010 Family First says that claims by porn marketer and benefactor Steve Crow about the benefits of porn are similar to the claims made by the tobacco industry over the past 60 years. "The claim that smoking doesn't harm worked for the tobacco industry for far too long. It is not surprising that the porn industry is following suit with similar and unsubstantiated claims," says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz PARENT ABUSE  2.Attacks on parents rise Sunday News 15/08/2010 Violent children are bashing and abusing their mums and dads as kiddie power grows out of control, say experts. A New Zealand parents group boss says children as young as five are staunching out their guardians. And a visiting expert says parent abuse here is getting as bad as in the US and UK. British psychologist Aric Sigman spoke about the trend at the Family First Forum in Auckland recently. Sigman said many parents were giving into their children's demands and kids were becoming dominant in family relationships. ...Last year, 444 children aged 14 to 16 were apprehended for domestic common assault – up from 339 in 2008 and way up from the 114 in 2000, Statistics New Zealand figures showed. ..For those aged 10-13, there were 130 common assaults reported in 2009 – up from 95 in 2008 and 50 in 2000. And for under-nines, there were six domestic common assaults reported in 2009, nine in 2008, two in 2007 and three in 2006. In 2008, Nelson police spoke out about a trend of parent abuse. They believed it could have been as a result of the introduction of the anti-smacking bill, because it meant parents were worried about restraining violent children. READ MORE  Family First Comment: Some commentators have suggested that violent children are simply copying the behaviour of their parents. Not necessarily so. Have a read of this document referred to us by Dr Aric Sigman Parent Abuse on the Rise: A Historical Review - American Association of Behavioural Social Science Online Journal 2004 "...the most important factor, is that these studies have shown parental permissiveness to play a major role in parent abuse. Many parents are still encouraged to take a lax, permissive approach to their parenting, which puts them at a higher risk for parent abuse, and their children at higher risk for delinquency." Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz INCOME SPLITTING 3.Income Splitting Values Stay-Home Parent  Family First Comment: The Income Splitting proposal put forward by United Future sends an important societal message that we value the choice of parents to raise their children full-time. For too long, the message has been that full-time mums and dads should let the 'professionals' educate their kids (Daycare) and parents should get out and get a real job! Other Pros: * property and welfare (including Working for Families (WFF)) is based on a family unit - therefore assessment of tax should also be on this basis. It is a fairer system and acknowledges the interdependence of the family unit * business owners can split income. Families should have this same ability * this gives parents more choice and potentially more ability to have a stay-home parent during the crucial early years of a child/children * the cost of this proposal is simply diverting spending from the $1.2b on early childhood education and other subsidies around before and after school programmes and holiday programmes  * Labour argues that the scheme unfairly benefits the wealthy. This is true to an extent although two things must be remembered. These families will be already paying proportionally more tax and be entitled for less WWF, AND Labour were silent when the interest free student loans and the 20 hours free childcare also benefited wealthy families!! Simply looking at income levels also fails to take into account the number of children that a family is raising.Cons: * its the same amount of tax relief whether one has one or ten children * many low income families will get nothing from income splitting READ a great little summary from researcher Dave Crampton Public want income splitting: Dunne NZ Herald 17 August 2010 United Future leader Peter Dunne says he is confident public support for his "income sharing" policy will force the Government to back it despite widespread criticism the scheme is expensive and poorly targeted. READ MORE QUOTE OF THE WEEK! "I'm confident that there are enough New Zealanders out there that want this that they will send that message loudly and clearly to politicians." PETER DUNNE citing a New Zealand Herald online poll which showed support for the income splitting policy running at about 80% Is Mr Dunne aware that 87% voted NO in the recent Referendum and around 35 polls over 4 years had more than 80% public opposition to the anti-smacking bill - which Mr Dunne VOTED FOR!! Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ALCOHOL 4.MPs lean toward split drinking age NZ Herald Aug 18, 2010 MPs given a conscience vote on the legal drinking age would probably allow 18-year-olds into bars and pubs but return the off-licence purchase age to 20. The National Party caucus yesterday decided that the vote on raising the drinking or alcohol purchase age from 18 to 20 will be up to individual MPs in a conscience vote. But National would vote as a party on other alcohol reforms in legislation expected to have its first reading late this year. ..Asked how they intended to vote on the alcohol purchase age, many MPs, including Mr Key and Opposition leader Phil Goff, said they were likely to vote for a split age which would keep the purchase age on licensed premises at 18, but raise the purchase age at liquor stores, supermarkets and other off-licence premises to 20. READ MORE  Family First Comment: NO NO NO!!!!!!! The politicians urgently need to read the latest research on the effects of alcohol on young people which was highlighted during Dr Aric Sigman's (right) visit earlier this month (see below). A drinking age of 21 would also bring us into line with the drinking age right across the 50 states of America. They were able to compare the various drinking ages adopted by the various states and came to the conclusion that the age of 21 had the best outcomes - based on experience, not political popularity!Drinking Age Should Be 21 – UK Expert Family First Media Release 6 Aug 2010 “New medical evidence on accident probability, disease and brain development makes it absolutely clear that delaying the age at which teenagers and young people have high access to alcohol will reduce the level of damage they and society suffer at the moment” - Dr Aric Sigman READ MOREGirls top schools' booze league Sunday Star Times 15/08/2010 Schoolgirls are hitting the booze harder than ever, and even the very young are drinking, according to the Education Ministry. And worried teachers say Monday-morning hangovers after students' booze-fuelled weekends are stopping them learning. Children as young as seven and eight have been disciplined over alcohol-related matters, and teachers said binge-drinking was so bad that some students were still suffering in the classroom when they returned to school after partying away the weekend. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  ADVERTISING STANDARDS5.Expo ad has 50 complaints Herald on Sunday Aug 15, 2010 More than 50 complaints have been made over porn king Steve Crow's mobile billboard promoting this weekend's Erotica Expo in Auckland. But it didn't stop about 10,000 people going to the event at the ASB Showgrounds. The mobile billboard shows a woman holding half a rock melon with her finger in it. Complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Authority. Crow said the billboard had worked: "At the end of the day the billboard shows the girl holding a melon. How people interpret that is up to them. I'm not responsible for how people think." The billboard has been slammed by lobby group Family First. "It's absolutely disgusting," said national director Bob McCoskrie. "It's suggestive, it's offensive and quite clear what it's getting at. It exposes children to inappropriate material. We need to protect the moral innocence of children." READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  RIGHT TO LIFE6.Toddler beats hospital death sentence Herald Sun (Australia) August 16, 2010 A seriously ill toddler whose parents went to court to lift a hospital's effective death sentence is now defying the odds. The parents of Child X, 3, were told his condition was terminal, and the hospital wanted to stop the kidney dialysis keeping him alive. But they refused to give up hope, and sought an urgent injunction from the Family Court while they awaited a second medical opinion. The boy has since shown such remarkable improvement his parents now hope to be able to take him home. ..Right To Life campaigner Margaret Tighe said there was an unfortunate culture emerging where people could decide that other people's lives were not worth living, based on the quality of life they could be expected to have rather than on whether their condition could be treated. "If this is a quality of life decision, if the hospital had decided the child's life was not going to be worthy to be lived, then clearly that is wrong," she said. The hospital has refused to comment on its original decision or on the improvement in the boy's condition since. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz PARENTING 7.Parents reveal biggest fears  Herald on Sunday Aug 15, 2010 Kiwi parents' biggest fear is that their children will spiral into drug and alcohol addiction, a survey has found. One in four parents said their biggest concern for their kids' welfare was exposure to Class A drugs, such as pure methamphetamine, and binge drinking. The survey of 500 parents, carried out for the Herald on Sunday, found that falling in with the wrong crowd was parents' next biggest worry. One in five, or 21 per cent, said that peer pressure to go along with their friends was their greatest fear. Parents who identified drugs as their major concern said "P" was the big fear. READ MORE Grown-up problems stress parents Sydney Morning Herald August 13, 2010 THE well-being of middle-aged parents appears to be linked to the successes and failures of their adult children, research shows. And even having a high-achieving adult child does not make up for the stress of having one with problems. President of the Australian Psychological Society, Bob Montgomery, said parents often believed it was their job to solve their children's problems and protect them from threats. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  SUICIDE8.Suicides outnumber road deaths The Press 12/08/2010 Suicides should be more widely reported as the number of New Zealanders taking their own lives is 50 per cent higher than the road toll, the Chief Coroner says. Judge Neil MacLean said New Zealand's suicide rate received little attention in comparison with the road toll, even though significantly more people died. Statistics released by the Chief Coroner to the Press show the number of deaths ruled as self-inflicted by coroners has stayed at about 540 for each of the past three financial years. In comparison, the road toll has dropped from 435 in 2004 to 390 last year. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz In this issue (10 August 2010)... 1. FORUM ON THE FAMILY - DVD's and CD's Available 2. Parents of Down Syndrome kids Experience Joy, Resilience 3. 100,000 kids kicked out of school 4. Couples split to get extra on benefit 5. Hutt councillors cap pokie machine numbers 6. NZ's sex-slave cases 'slip under radar' 7. United Future's income sharing on agenda FORUM ON THE FAMILY DVD's / CD's Available  1.If you were unable to attend the FORUM ON THE FAMILY, or did attend and would like to be reminded of the excellent material and speakers from the day, you can purchase both DVD and CD's of the event.All the details and online orders can be made here http://www.faithnet.co.nz/tapes/ff10.html   2.Puchases copies of Dr Aric Sigman's books "Spoilt Generation" and "Remotely Controlled" at the special Forum prices here https://familyfirstorgnz_payment.sites.acclipse.com/forum_payments (save up to $15 off the retail price)   3.READ HEAR AND WATCH a full summary of the extensive media coverage leading up to and during the Forum on the Family http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/forum   Aric Sigman Almost 200 delegates Q&A with Speakers  PARENTING2.Parents of Down Syndrome Kids Have Joy,Resilience Kansas State University 3 August 2010 The tumultuous feelings parents have when they first learn their child will be born with Down syndrome give way to joy and resilience, according to preliminary data from a study by researchers at Kansas State University and Texas Tech University. Their study is called "My Kid Has More Chromosomes Than Yours! The Journey to Resilience and Hope in Parenting a Child with Down Syndrome." "The goal of our study is to help parents and professionals understand that having a child with Down syndrome isn't the end of the world; it can be a very positive experience," Goff said. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz EDUCATION3.100,000 kids kicked out of school Herald on Sunday Aug 8, 2010 Nearly 100,000 pupils have been stood down or suspended from New Zealand schools for drug use, verbal and physical assaults, latest figures show. Statistics released under the Official Information Act reveal 81,521 students have been stood down and 16,145 suspended from schools since 2007. The Ministry of Education figures show the main reasons include students being disciplined for continual disobedience, physical assaults on other students and verbally assaulting staff members. READ MORE Family First Comment: Nothing surprising here - unfortunately. We've been highlighting this for a number of years: Increasing Violence in Schools No Surprise Family First Media Release 28 July 2007 READ MORE Substantial Increase in Primary Kids Assaulting Teachers Family First Media Release 29 August 2009 READ MORE Schools Failing To Tackle Violence Family First Media Release 13 November 2008 READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz FAMILY INCOME 4.Couples split to get extra on benefit  NZ Herald Aug 7, 2010 A growing number of unemployed couples are living apart so one can claim the domestic purposes benefit to get more money, say beneficiary advocates. A community leader in New Zealand's "DPB capital" of Kawerau says 70 per cent of those claiming the benefit in the town have partners "round the back door". Kay Brereton of the Beneficiary Advocacy Federation said couples who might be getting $200 below their living costs on the $324 weekly couple unemployment benefit were being tempted to split. One could then get $278 on the domestic purposes benefit (DPB) and the other could get $194 on the single dole - a total of $472, and almost $150 extra a week. "In the current financial reality, more and more couples will be looking to maximise their income," Ms Brereton said. READ MORE Family First Comment: Nothing surprising here again - unfortunately. We've been highlighting this for a number of years: Penalty Tax For Being Married As High As $15,000 Family First Media Release 20 October 2008 A married couple both working and on low incomes, or a family with a full-time parent are being penalised by up to $15,000 in their household income compared with a couple who separates or divorces. Low income families are being hardest hit by NZ’s ‘marriage penalty tax’ and poverty trap. READ MORE  Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz GAMBLING 5.Hutt councillors cap pokie machine numbers  Hutt News 03/08/2010 Hutt councillors have made a significant U-turn on gambling, signing off a new policy that has the potential to greatly reduce the number of pokie machines in the city. The council is required to review its gambling policy every three years and consulted residents on the topic as part of the annual plan. Councillors initially took a bullish approach, giving a strong indication they would not support a reduction in pokie machines or venues. The gambling review in 2007 drew 33 submissions but this time 609 responses poured in. Most favoured a sinking lid policy to reduce the number of machines. READ MORE Cap on Pokie Machine Numbers Sets Good Precedent Family First Media Release 5 August 2010 Family First NZ is welcoming the decision by Hutt City councillors to reduce the numbers of pokie machines in the city, and is encouraging other cities such as Hamilton and the Far North who are currently considering their policy to do likewise. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  PROSTITUTION6.NZ's sex-slave cases 'slip under radar' NZ Herald Aug 4, 2010 No one has been prosecuted in New Zealand for human trafficking but critics say that is only because a difference in definition is allowing cases to slip under the radar. ...The Department of Labour, which oversees immigration, says New Zealand does not have any known history of people-trafficking and Mr Bickle said the agency had not seen any substantiated claims. No trafficking offenders have been prosecuted here, but anti-trafficking advocates said the country's clean slate could be attributed to how New Zealand defines people-trafficking. Unlike the United States definition, which includes domestic cases as trafficking, New Zealand recognises only international border crossing cases. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz INCOME SPLITTING 7.United Future's income sharing on agenda  Otago Daily Times 10 Aug 2010 Revenue Minister Peter Dunne in two weeks will finally introduce a Bill to Parliament calling for income sharing to be allowed between couples with children. The United Future leader first talked about the income splitting concept in 2002 but it was not included as part of his party's confidence and supply agreement with the then Labour administration. In 2005, the confidence and supply agreement allowed Mr Dunne to prepare a policy paper on the concept and in 2008 National agreed United Future could develop the policy and National would support the Bill to its first reading. READ MORE Family First Comment: To work out how income splitting could affect your family, click HERE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzIn this issue (27 July 2010)...  IMMIGRATIONForeign Student Policy About Money not Children Family First Media Release 26 July 2010 Family First NZ is sounding alarm bells over the latest Immigration policy changes which allow for children as young as five to come to NZ without family members to study. “These policies which are a cash-cow for cash strapped schools are being developed with a focus on the benefits to the education industry but without due consideration of the harm it may cause to families and to the children,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “We should not be encouraging situations where young people are being left in a foreign culture and separated from their family for relatively long periods of time. It leaves them in a vulnerable situation of not having the supervision and care that they need from their family.” READ MORE Immigration relaxes entry rules for child students NZ Herald Jul 26, 2010 READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz S*XUALISATION OF CHILDREN2.Girls live in a pornified world The Age (Australia) July 26, 2010 A Melbourne conference heard women's activist Melinda Tankard Reist complained that Dolly magazine, aimed at 10 to 13-year-old girls, provided instructions on oral and anal s*x without any context or warnings, Sydney University s*xologist Patricia Weerakoon said biblical s*xual ethics were healthy and life-affirming. ...Ms Tankard Reist told the conference that despite talk of ''girl power'', girls lived in a pornified world, bombarded with s*xual imagery before they were psychologically ready. Parents had to object when they saw T-shirts for pre-teens proclaiming ''It's not rape if you shout 'surprise''' or ''Save a virgin. Do me instead''. ''The standard you walk past is the standard you set,'' she said. READ MORE Family First Comment: Melinda Tankard Reist is a guest speaker at our upcoming Forum on the Family. One of her sessions is on TOXIC CULTURE: The impact of popular culture on girls and young women. REGISTER NOW for this important family conference. Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzBROADCASTING STANDARDS3.Mum faces more fights over TV ads Sunday Star Times 25/07/2010 A Waikato mum has won a battle with TVNZ over the screening of graphic advertisements during a children's film but the state broadcaster has warned parents it will continue to show ads with "hazards attached"....Family First's national director Bob McCoskrie said there should be an independent organisation set up to monitor TV content. "We don't trust the networks to make these value judgements. I don't think parents should be sitting with the remote control in their hands like a gun in a holster ready to change the channel when an offensive ad or promo comes up." READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz PROSTITUTION4.School Gate Brothel Closure Good for Families Family First Media Release 23 July 2010 Family First NZ is welcoming news that the brothel opposite an Intermediate school in Henderson has closed. “For a residential brothel to be able to open in Lincoln Rd directly opposite a school entranceway where children are being dropped off and picked up by their parents shows that the law has failed,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “It is disappointing that it took negative publicity and the protests of residents, the school and parents to force the closure rather than the presence of bylaws to protect families in the first place.” READ MORE Brothel near school closes doors Western Leader / NZPA 23/07/2010 A west Auckland school has a heartfelt message of thanks for the men who refused to use a brothel which opened across the road from its front gate earlier this year. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz CHILD ABUSE5.Child abuse link to same-s*x encounters Newstalk ZB / NZ Herald 22 July 2010 New research suggests people who are homos*xual or have same-s*x encounters are more likely to have been victims of abuse as children. The study by the University of Otago, in Christchurch, involved face-to-face interviews with almost 13,000 people aged 16 and over, in order to explore aspects of s*xual orientation. Prof Elisabeth Wells says the research found that the more adverse events experienced in childhood, the more likely someone was to belong to a non-exclusively heteros*xual group. ...Family First spokesman Bob McCoskrie said there should always be concerns around the possible outcomes of childhood abuse. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzCHILD SUPPORT 6.Unpaid child support $17m - Taranaki  Taranaki Daily News 22 July 10 Taranaki parents owe the taxman a staggering $17 million in unpaid child support. Inland Revenue documents released to the Taranaki Daily News show more than half the parents liable for child support in the region had an outstanding debt....Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said there were major shortcomings with the assessment and collection of child support payments. "There are parents who shirk their responsibility. Some parents are happy for the sex but not the consequences," Mr McCoskrie said. The children and responsible parent became the victims, he said. "We must hold people accountable for their actions." Mr McCoskrie said parents were also losing out because the Family Court system did not start with the presumption of shared parenting and endorsed no-fault divorce. "Parents who want to maintain a marriage and family can lose everything and the DPB can simply drive the problem further by rewarding the breakdown," he said. READ MORE Family First Comment: We highlight this article because the journalist listened to all our concerns and presented a balanced and thorough review of this difficult issue Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  LOAN SHARKS7.Loan shark bill killed at first reading ONE News July 21, 2010 The government has killed a bill that would have regulated loan sharks and capped the interest rates they charge. Labour MP Carol Beaumont's Credit Reforms (Responsible Lending) Bill was voted down 63-59 in Parliament tonight, with National and ACT opposing it. Labour, the Greens, the Maori Party, United Future and the Progressive Party supported the bill. READ MORE MP’s Owe Protection to Families From Loan Sharks Family First Media Release 21 July 2010 (sent out before the vote) Family First NZ is calling on the politicians to support the Consumer Credit (Responsible Lending) Bill regulating loan sharks being sent to a select committee so that the issue can be confronted. “Vulnerable families are falling victim to exorbitant interest rates and draconian penalty clauses,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. READ MORE Family First Comment: This was a disappointing outcome. It needs to be said that this is not a recent problem and the Labour party had nine years while being government to sort this problem but chose not to. The National government now needs to show that they are serious about this issue with their promised review. In the meantime, vulnerable families will be exploited. Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzEUTHANASIA 8.Dying doctor reopens euthanasia debate NZ Herald Jul 22, 2010 Legalising euthanasia has won huge support from readers of the Herald website, reflecting the earlier findings of scientific public opinion polls. By last night, 82 per cent of nzherald.co.nz poll respondents said euthanasia should be legalised. The poll was started after 61-year-old Auckland GP Dr John Pollock, who has just months to live after being diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, spoke out in favour of voluntary euthanasia. READ MORE Family First Comment: This issue won't go away but there are some important points to remember: * the need is for better care, not easier killing * the real goal is to make quality palliative and social care available to all * there is a clear link between depression and the desire for euthanasia * hard cases (such as Dr Pollock's sad situation) make bad law * Dutch law has moved to the point that euthansia is also available for mental suffering - not just terminal illness * a high proportion of deaths classed as euthanasia in Belgium involved patients who did not ask for their lives to be ended, a study found. * in a culture of euthanasia, disabled, sick and elderly people come to be viewed as a burden upon the taxpayer, society and their families Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  RANTING9.Columnist takes a swipe at Family First Former ACT MP Deborah Coddington (left) has used her latest Herald on Sunday column to attack the government's focus on victim's rights, labelling Sensible Sentencing Trust as a 'mad lot', victims as 'strongly vengeful', and calling the widening of victim impact statements in court as 'sloppy thinking'. And somehow (!) she manages to take a swipe at Family First for raising the issue of broadcasting standards and full frontal nudity on news programmes. She says a Victim of Crimes Complaints procedure wil result in 'moaners' - "Just like Family First - instead of turning off the television and going to bed, Bob McCoskrie waits up to see nude rugby on the late news and complains to the Broadcasting Standards Authority." Of course, this is the same columnist who said of people who opposed the anti-smacking law and voted no in the recent Referendum, “Scratch their skins and would we find, lurking below, a secret desire to bring back the legal right to rape their spouses, as once was the case, because marriage in itself was deemed consent to s*x?” Send feedback to the Herald on Sunday CLICK HERE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzIn this issue (20 July 2010)... 1. Gov’t Ignores Parents, Capitulates to Green Vote 2. Key, Goff on Abortion 3. Families Commission finally mentions the 'M' word! 4. Mum, Dad, kids no longer typical household 5. Facebook tributes not 'constructive or healthy' 6. 'Sickie' rule changes may hit parents 7. Shocking impact of booze on babies 8. Get the net out of kids' rooms 9. Parents of obese children guilty of neglect  DEMOCRACY1.Gov’t Ignores Parents, Capitulates to Green Vote Family First Media Release 20 July 2010 Family First NZ says that the government is more interested in securing a ‘green’ vote than listening to and supporting the role of parents. “The opposition to mining gained 47,000 untested signatures but the opposition to the anti-smacking law had a massive 300,000-plus valid signatures. 87% voted against the law in the recent formal Referendum – almost 1.5 million people – while just 25,000 marched up Queen St against the mining,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “This government appears to be pandering to groups who they want to gain votes from but are ignoring families who may have voted for a change of government in 2008 because they wanted to be heard. The government believes it is listening to voters on the mining issue but they have an even greater mandate to listen to families and to amend the smacking law to decriminalise light smacking.” READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ABORTION 2.Key, Goff on Abortion With the announcement by Labour MP Steve Chadwick to introduce a bill to decriminalise abortion, where do our current political leaders stand on this issue. You can view brief comments made by Prime Minister John Key in 2008 and Phil Goff in 2009, both at our Forum on the Family. Phil Goff appears to contradict his concern for the unborn child. JOHN KEY ON ABORTION PHIL GOFF ON UNBORN CHILD PHIL GOFF ON ABORTION    CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW VIDEO Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz FAMILIES COMMISSION 3.Families Commission finally mentions the 'M' word!  COMMENTARY: The Families Commission has released more research. Unfortunately the trend continues of 'light' research which says very little and has significant limitations. * "Being a single mum - Pacific Island mum's positive experiences" 53 page report involving 12 mums and a focus group * "Family Food environment" 48 page report which interviewed 136 families about factors affecting the amount and the type of food they buy  * "Crime families in the news" A 37 page report on how the media reports young offenders and their families. On the positive side, in this report, they mention the word MARRIAGE - but it is only quoting articles written by Family First and NZ Herald Columnist Garth George (both labelled 'conservative') and the Maxim Institute who they label 'right wing' (refer page 20 of report). The Families Commission, to maintain any relevance, needs to become a hub and funder for quality research which identifies and supports at-risk and dysfunctional families. They should leave good families to carry on raising great kids rather than telling them how to raise their children as they did with the anti-smacking debate. READ article by Bob McCoskrie referred to Family solidarity key to lower youth crime - NZ Herald, Oct 4, 2006 Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nzFAMILY STRUCTURE 4.Mum, Dad, kids no longer typical household  NZ Herald Jul 20, 2010 Childless or empty-nest couples have replaced iconic families of Mum, Dad and the kids as New Zealand's most common kind of household. Statistics New Zealand's latest family and household projections show that couples without children at home overtook couples with children at home in 2008 for the first time since at least World War II. Traditional families of Mum, Dad and the kids are projected to shrink further from 31 per cent of all adults aged 18 and over in 2006 to just 23 per cent by 2031. Family First spokesman Bob McCoskrie said the projections were a warning shot for the country. "We should be doing everything we can to promote stable two-parent homes for the sake of the kids, and for the sake of the adults having the support they need to bring up the kids." But Waikato University demographer Natalie Jackson said trends towards older parenting and fewer children could help more couples stay together in the future anyway. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz SOCIAL NETWORKING 5.Facebook tributes not 'constructive or healthy'  3 News 16 Jul 2010 A Facebook fan page that glorified a dead killer was removed by its creator Thursday after it drew sharp criticism from Britain's prime minister and put the social networking site in an uncomfortable situation... Aric Sigman (right), a psychologist who has studied the biological effects of social networking, said the online outpouring reflected a new and alarming phenomenon - "recreational, virtual grief". He said sites like Facebook allow strangers to "hold hands virtually and amplify and consolidate their personal feelings, using this news item as a vehicle for their own emotional issues". "It is being used to amplify and elevate views which in the real world we would all feel are not constructive or healthy," Sigman said. READ MORE Family First Comment: Aris Sigman is the keynote speaker at our Forum on the Family on Friday August 6. Social networking is just one of the topics he will be covering. REGISTER TODAY. Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz PARENTING 6.'Sickie' rule changes may hit parents  The Dominion Post 20/07/2010 Parents who stay home for a single day to care for a sick child could be forced to get medical certificates to cover their time off work under Government changes. ...Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson's office said yesterday that the change would apply to parents who used their sick leave for a single day to care for a child, meaning they would have to take them to a doctor for a certificate if their employer ordered it. The provision would also apply to workers staying home to care for sick spouses or partners. READ MORE Family First Comment: It is disappointing that an attempt to tackle the abuse of sick leave is resulting in parents being targeted for simply fulfilling their parenting role Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ALCOHOL 7.Shocking impact of booze on babies  Sydney Morning Herald July 18, 2010 Australia has fallen behind in recognising and diagnosing ''completely preventable'' foetal alcohol syndrome and wider spectrum disorders, researchers warn. There are a growing number of intervention treatments for children born with the illnesses and researchers advocate a renewed effort to help pregnant women who suffer chronic alcohol dependence. ..US research suggests sufferers are disproportionately likely to face the juvenile justice system. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz INTERNET 8.Get the net out of kids' rooms  Herald Sun July 19, 2010 Parents should ban internet connections from children's bedrooms, experts say, after research shows students are neglecting their studies to spend time on social networking sites. Cyber-safety expert Dr Martyn Wild said parents should place computers in family areas such as lounge rooms to keep schoolchildren focused on their studies. "You wouldn't let your kids stay out socialising with their friends until all hours on a school night, but that is exactly what they are doing online, often right under their parents' noses," Dr Wild said. "The answer is not turning off internet access. Rather it's about implementing simple behavioural changes in your children and setting realistic expectations about their use of the internet." READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  OBESITY 9.Parents of obese kids guilty of neglect The Guardian (UK)16 July 2010 Parents who fail to help an obese child eat and exercise properly, ignoring all advice and guidance, could be guilty of neglect, UK child health experts say today. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz In this issue (13 July 2010)... 1. NZ sex industry lures Asian women 2. Abortions on young double in 20 years 3, Advert makes drinking look awesome - teen 4. Only 16% see smacking as 'very high risk' 5. Support for breastfeeding in public 6. Break-ups leave women poorer, men more fragile
BORTION The number of children having abortions has almost doubled over the past 20 years. The latest statistics have prompted calls for parents to be informed if their daughter is considering an abortion, but health professionals say the move would be "disastrous". Last year, 79 girls aged from 11 to 14 had abortions. Of those, 68 were 14-year-olds and 13 aged 11 to 13. The latest figure is nearly twice the 43 girls under 14 who had abortions in 1991. ,,,Family First director Bob McCoskrie said it was outrageous that parents had to sign a consent form for their child to go on a school trip to the zoo but could be left in the dark if their 11-year-old was having an abortion. Family First and Prolife New Zealand have been campaigning for parents to have the legal right to be informed if their daughter is considering an abortion. A law change that would have made it mandatory, backed by National MP Judith Collins, was voted down in 2004. McCoskrie said a recent Family First-commissioned poll found 80 per cent of people thought parents should be told if their daughter was pregnant and considering an abortion. He said there was support for the idea within the National Party, but no-one seemed willing to push through a law change. "Abortion is the only procedure or event in a teenager's life where for no good reason good parents are legally excluded," he said. Four out of five women who had abortions felt they had made the "biggest mistake of their lives" and in the days following the termination, felt like their lives were "upside down, they couldn't cope, and wished to be pregnant again" Seventeen children had abortions at Waikato hospitals in the last year, prompting calls for parents to have the right to know if their child is considering an abortion. ..Family Planning Christine Roke said girls often felt pressured to make decisions about their pregnancy that they didn't want to. "... sometimes the family may be part of the situation and so therefore it is not ideal that they be informed," she said. Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe said while he accepted in some situations it was not possible for the family to be advised of the pregnancy, he believed that in most cases the support from loved ones would help. ...Anti-abortion activist Robyn Jackson said denying parents the right to know was "almost child abuse". "Why should a counsellor or teacher be able to help these girls make these sorts of decisions when, as a parent, you are the person who is legally responsible for them? OPINION: Should parents have the right to know their teenage daughter has had, or is about to have, an abortion? Tough question and such an emotional debate. ...Family First and Prolife New Zealand have been campaigning for parents to have the legal right to be told when their daughter is considering a termination. While a law change was rejected in 2004, a poll commissioned by Family First found 80 per cent of people thought parents had the right to know. ALCOHOL DIVORCE
In this issue (6 July 2010)...
SANCTITY OF LIFE
FAMILY BREAKDOWN VIDEO GAMES DIVORCE
 MARRIAGE7.Gillard does not support same-sex marriage AAP 30 June 2010 Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she does not support legalising gay marriage in Australia. Labor policy on gay marriage will remain the same under her prime ministership, Ms Gillard told Austereo show on Wednesday morning. "We believe the marriage act is appropriate in its current form, that is recognising that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we have as a government taken steps to equalise treatment for gay couples," Ms Gillard said. Asked if that was also her personal view, Ms Gillard said it was. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz In this issue (30 June 2010)... 1. Child Abuse Rate Shows We’re Still Failing 2. Kids' pole antics just 'a sport'? 3. PM admits public face hefty ETS bill 4. Celebrity push for tougher liquor laws 5. Adoption ruling sets dangerous precedent 6. Abortion 'triples breast cancer risk' 7. $1 maximum bets on pokies - Aust report CHILD ABUSE 1.Child Abuse Rate Shows We’re Still Failing "To attribute the increase in notifications to public awareness and ‘better reporting’ simply doesn’t wash" - Bob McCoskrie  Family First Media Release 23 June 2010 Family First NZ says that the latest rates of CYF notifications are horrendous and shows a continuing failure to tackle the real causes. “NZ’ers were completely opposed to the anti-smacking law because they knew that it was a smoke-screen for tackling the real causes of child abuse – the far harder issues of drug and alcohol abuse, family breakdown, violence in our media, mental illness and other key factors identified by UNICEF, CYF and Children’s Commissioner reports,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. The rate was already out of control years before the family violence policy and well before the anti-smacking legislation. In 2002, there were less than 30,000 notifications. We’re now predicting 125,000 next year.” READ MORE  Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz  S*XUALISATION OF CHILDREN2.Kids' pole antics just 'a sport'? Herald on Sunday Jun 27, 2010 Family values campaigners are concerned about a pole-dancing competition that opened with a display by young children. Organiser Sarah Metcalfe said.."There's no reason why it can't be a family event." She said competitors weren't allowed to touch themselves or remove any clothing and had to wear items that covered sensitive areas. G-strings and see-through clothing were banned. Family First campaigner Bob McCoskrie said pole dancing had sexual connotations and he had concerns about the children's involvement. "My initial response was if it's based around exercise and sport it's a good thing. "If it's around skimpy outfits and sexualised positions then it's dodgy and the last thing we want 8 or 9-year-olds doing." READ MORE LISTEN Bob McCoskrie discusses this issue with Newstalk ZB Christchurch's Mike Yardley Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz FAMILY BUDGETS 3.PM admits public face hefty ETS bill NZ Herald Jun 29, 2010 Households will bear more than their fair share of increased energy costs when the next phase of the emissions trading scheme takes effect on Thursday, Prime Minister John Key has acknowledged. READ MORE WATCH Bob McCoskrie on TVNZ Breakfast discussing the impact of the ETS on families  Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ALCOHOL LAWS 4.Celebrity push for tougher liquor laws NZ Herald Jun 29, 2010 One of the highest-powered delegations ever to petition Parliament plans to speak out at the Beehive tomorrow in support of tougher drinking laws. Three knights and two dames, including two former Governors-General, will be joined by three archbishops, leaders of the Maori and Pacific communities and sports icons in a call to raise the drinking age, raise alcohol prices and implement other recommendations from a recent Law Commission report. They also want MPs to abandon their traditional "conscience vote" on liquor issues so the Law Commission's proposals can be implemented as a consistent package. READ MORE Strict and loving relationship key to stopping teenage alcohol abuse  Telegraph (UK) 24 June 2010 A strict but loving relationship with your children is the best the way to stop them going off the rails, new research suggests. The teenagers least prone to heavy drinking - having more than five drinks in a row - had parents who scored highly on both knowing where their kids were and having a warm relationship with them. The research, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, was by experts from Brigham Young University in Utah. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ADOPTION 5.Adoption ruling sets dangerous precedent  The Dominion Post 26/06/2010A High Court decision allowing a de facto couple to adopt has reignited calls for an overhaul of the law so that same-sex couples have the same rights. Under the Adoption Act 1955, only married couples or individuals may adopt. Individuals in gay, lesbian and de facto heterosexual relationships can adopt, but their partners cannot share the same legal status. READ MORE READ our Media Release on this issue when it arose in 2009 Adoption Is About Best Interests of Child – Not Adults “The purpose of adoption is not to provide a child to adults, but rather to provide a family to a child. Same sex couple and single parent adoption potentially harms children because it intentionally creates motherless and fatherless families. There is no shortage of couples willing to adopt. Non-discrimination in adoption is an adult-centred policy. The granting of special rights to some – in this case same-sex and de facto couples – can also mean that other people (children) lose their rights. But we must give primary consideration to the best interests of the child." - Family First NZ Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz ABORTION 6.Abortion 'triples breast cancer risk'  Fourth study finds terminations linked to disease Telegraph (UK) 24th June 2010 An abortion can triple a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer in later life, researchers say. A team of scientists made the claim while carrying out research into how breastfeeding can protect women from developing the killer disease. The findings, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, are the latest research to show a link between abortion and breast cancer. The research was carried out by scientists at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is the fourth epidemiological study to report such a link in the past 14 months, with research in China, Turkey and the U.S. showing similar conclusions. READ MORE Got a comment on this issue? Email feedback@familyfirst.org.nz GAMBLING In this issue (23 June 2010)...
ABORTION PROSTITUTION BROADCASTING STANDARDS CENSORSHIP MARRIAGE!! HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS
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The Press 07/07/2010 
family to be advised of the pregnancy, he believed that in most cases the support from loved ones would help. ...Anti-abortion activist Robyn Jackson said denying parents the right to know was "almost child abuse". "Why should a counsellor or teacher be able to help these girls make these sorts of decisions when, as a parent, you are the person who is legally responsible for them? 
SMACKING
One News July 07, 2010 
MOTHERING
Sydney Morning Herald July 7, 2010 
First NZ. “The value of a child should be upheld from conception – hence the desire to warn women about issues such as fetal alcohol syndrome and the harm of smoking while pregnant. The proposal being pushed by Labour MP Steve Chadwick also fails to acknowledge both the advances in technology which has shown the development of the unborn child in the womb, and the growing body of research suggesting the harm done to women by having an abortion.” 
3.Do video games cause attention problems in kids? 
FAMILY LAW
NZ Herald Thursday Jun 17, 2010 
Newstalk ZB 20 June 2010 
Herald on Sunday Jun 20, 2010 
PUBLIC STANDARDS
Daily Mail (UK) 17th June 2010 