SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Same-sex ‘marriage’ and “gay” adoption debate fuelled by polyamory advocates

by Leave a Comment

Lover of twins adds new twist to moral debate.

Belle Glasby, Marc Glasby and Dorothy Loader appeared on television talking about their ‘poly’ relationship. Marc Glasby and his two partners – wife Belle and identical twin sister Dorothy – last night poured new fuel on the growing debate over sexuality and marriage in 21st century Australia.

Their appearance on SBS Television’s Insight programme added polyamory to the already furious debate over same-sex marriage and the associated debates over gay adoption and lesbian access to IVF birth programmes.

Advocates of polyamory – intimate relationships involving three or more people – have ruffled feathers in the gay community, caused grief for the Greens, and strengthened religious determination to preserve male-female marriage as the nation’s only legal option.

The debate is being hammered out in a parliamentary inquiry into two bills aiming to legalise gay marriage and to recognise those performed abroad.

Gay marriage was a fraught issue long before polyamory’s entry. It split the Labor Party and became policy only after Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who opposes the move, struck a deal requiring a conscience vote in Parliament.

The Opposition opposes same-sex marriage, while the Greens’ policy advocates marriage for all, regardless of sexuality or gender identity.

For full story by Greg Ansley, published 30 May 2012, see:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10809419

[Read more…]

Good parents are being criminalised under anti-smacking law, contrary to PM’s assurances

by Leave a Comment

Parents’ hell after choice to strap child. By Ian Stewart. Fairfax NZ News. 3 June 2012.

A  mum’s “considered decision” to strap her son led to an assault conviction, and a judge told her that thinking about it first made it worse than if she’d done it in anger.

The woman and her partner, both South Island teachers, were convicted after they strapped their 8-year-old son, over his pyjamas, with a belt in January last year.

But after taking their case all the way to the Court of Appeal, they were discharged without conviction.

Anti-smacking law critics say the case is an example of good parents being criminalised, contrary to assurances from politicians when the law came in.

Full Story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7036188/Parents-hell-after-choice-to-strap-child [Read more…]

Where Do Politicians Stand On Polygamy? – asks Family First NZ

by Leave a Comment

In a Media Release issued today, Family First NZ, a registered charity with the Charities Commission,  is asking the question:

Where Do Politicians Stand On Polygamy? …………

Family First NZ is calling for the National, Labour and Green party to state where they stand on the issue of redefining marriage to allow polygamy and polyamory.

“Polygamy and polyamory have been added to the same-sex marriage debate in Australia because the ‘discrimination’ argument being used to argue for allowing same-sex marriage also applies to any number of adults who love each other and want their relationships recognised,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “At the moment, the New Zealand marriage law does discriminate against three or more people getting married, or a married person marrying another person.” [Read more…]

NZ Charities Commission – to be disestablished – Update

by Leave a Comment

Last night (29 May 2012) the House of Representatives voted by a strong majority (71 to 49) to split the Crown Entities Reform Bill into three: The Charities Amendment Bill No. 2; The NZ Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill and the Mental Health Commission Amendment Bill. The first of these, passed through its committee stages on the evening of 23 May (see earlier post). All three will be treated as one piece of legislation when they come before the House for the Final Reading and vote (they are on the Order Paper for today).

The Charities Amendment Bill No. 2, once passed into law will see the Charities Commission disestablished on 1 July 2012 and its functions transferred to the Department of Internal Affairs.

(Note: The Charities Amendment Bill, which came out of the Statutes Amendment Bill No. 2, had its third reading and was passed on 16 February 2012. It has received the Royal Assent).

Proposed Adoption Legislation Discriminates Against Traditional Families

by Leave a Comment

In a Press Release issued yesterday, Family Life International NZ, a registered charity with the Charities Commission, has criticised proposed adoption legislation. The Charity was registered on 28 April 2008 (Reg. No. CC23462)

PROPOSED ADOPTION LEGISLATION DISCRIMINATES
AGAINST TRADITIONAL FAMILIES

It has become extremely difficult for married couples, husbands and wives, to adopt a child in New Zealand. Those approaching adoption services to seek information on how they can become adoptive parents in this country are actually steered towards “lifetime fostering” or legal guardianship only. There is a distinctive anti-adoption attitude and policy coming from the only accepted legal and political adoption service in New Zealand.

We applaud Prime Minister John Key for having “great sympathy” for those wanting to adopt. However he is seriously misguided in his support for adoption legislation being radically changed for same sex couples, even if it is only for the initial reading of that legislation. He declared on national television that as long as the child is loved it doesn’t matter what the sexual orientation of the parents is. This is another anti-traditional family move by the government, lawmakers, and decision makers in this country to break down the traditional and natural family of mother, father and children. [Read more…]