The Charities Commission has advised Family First that,
The Board considers that Family First’s opinion(s)… are fairly described as controversial in contemporary NZ society”
and
We do not consider that Family First continues to qualify for registration as it has an independent purpose to promote and protect the traditional family-and this is not charitable.
Under the Act, promotion of a controversial point of view is a political purpose… Family First does not advance religion or education, nor promote a benefit to all New Zealanders as determined by the Act”
If all this makes you a bit mad then here are some positive practical steps you can take
The Charities Act 2005 section 5 [1] that a charitable purpose includes every charitable purpose whether it relates to the relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, or any other matter beneficial to the community.
Right to Life requests that the Charities Commission produce the evidence that the promotion of the traditional family is controversial and does not promote a benefit to all New Zealanders. Is the Commission going to suggest a replacement for the traditional family?
Right to Life challenges the above unfortunate and unsubstantiated conclusions. At the last census in 2013 it was disclosed that there were 1,136,397 families in New Zealand, six out of ten of these families had children. Has the Charities Commission done a survey of these families? Right to Life contends that the promotion and protection of the traditional family comprising exclusively one man and one woman is a charity and is of the utmost importance for the benefit of our community.
The traditional family is the foundation stone of a healthy and vibrant community; where the family goes there goes society. Traditional marriage is God’s plan for the happiness of men and women and the procreation of the human race. Men and women have been created with a longing to love and to be loved, it is only in traditional marriage that this longing finds full expression. The human race has known from the dawn of civilisation that the traditional family is the best place to nurture and raise the next generation. It is the next generation who will guarantee the continuation of society and provide the future work force. It is self evident that man was made for woman and woman was made for man. The lifetime commitment of a man and woman in marriage is not only for their own protection but is a commitment to the protection of their children.
Today the traditional family is under sustained attack. It is the objective of the international LGBTQ movement not to seek marriage equality but to ultimately destroy the traditional family. The decision of the Charities Commission should be seen as an attack on the family. Family First deserves the approbation and support of the whole community for its tireless support of the traditional family.
Ken Orr
Spokesperson,
Right to Life.
Please, can we not go down this road again? From what I understand, some of the LGBT groups that do receive charitable status are actively engaged in suicide prevention, thus resulting in the aversion of a mortal sin. That is eminently compatible with the sanctity of human life and I support such organisations continuing to access funding for that vital reason.
However, this whole vendetta against Family First needs to be fought. Bob McCoskrie is a stalwart defender of the unborn child and has always stood in solidarity with the vulnerable disabled, elderly, poor and sick that are targeted by euthanasia and assisted suicide. Family First is a member of the pro-life Care Alliance against the decriminalisation of euthanasia and runs a subsidiary Protect website. He is a good and noble man and does not deserve to be treated like this, nor his organisation.