SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

High court overturns $50 fine order imposed by BSA on “prolific complainer”

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Media Matters in New Zealand Inc., a registered charity with the Charities Commission, is pleased that one of its member’s appeal to the High Court against a BSA order issued against him, has been successful, at least in part (see below). Members of Media Matters are “campaigning for a better media”. Their “Vision” is “a Media Environment in New Zealand that is safe to all: free of gratuitous sex, violence, asnd offensive language… so parents can trust what their children see.” Members are also very concerned about inaccurracies in the media (Source: www.viewers.org.nz ).

Fairfax Media reported on 2 May 2012:

A Wellington beneficiary has succeeded in overturning a Broadcasting Standards Authority [BSA] ruling that he should pay $50 costs to deter him from making too many complaints. [Read more…]

Unlawful acceptance of donation in 2010 mayoralty campaign – 22 month jail sentence

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A high profile mayoralty candidate who accepted a campaign donation in exchange for an offer of ‘political favours’ – filed a “no contest plea” to eight criminal charges, including: receiving unlawful compensation for official acts, accepting illegal campaign contributions and filing a false campaign financial report (it was co-signed by the candidate’s treasurer). The candidate, who was recorded on video accepting the donation from an undercover enforcement agent posing as a businessman seeking “access” favours, has been sentenced to a 22.4 month jail term, fined, and required to do 200 hours of community service on release from incarceration.

Is this a case of  “entrapment” involving an innocent scapegoat, as claimed? Should donations to political candidates entitle donors “access” to donation recipients? What community standards should we seek to uphold in creating laws relating to political campaign contributions? Where does the fine line exist between the “letter” and the “spirit” of the law relating to these compliance matters? [Read more…]

Auckland Council Should Reject Sky City Pokie Deal – says Family First NZ

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In a Media Release issued today, Family First NZ, a registered charity with the Charities Commission directed by Mr Trevor Garrett, is supporting the call for Auckland Council to make a stand against the SkyCity convention centre-for-pokie machines deal.

 “The Local Government Act empowers Councils to provide for the social well-being of our communities. Family First is calling on the Auckland Council to oppose any law change which would allow the mass influx of more ‘mechanical pickpocket’ machines to Sky City. Casinos thrive on the false promise of getting rich quickly, but the reality is that those who can least afford to gamble are gambling themselves deeper into debt,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. [Read more…]

Humanist Society of NZ Inc. – A charity whose primary purpose is promoting Atheism?

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The Humanist Society of New Zealand (Incorporated) [“HSNZ”] incorporated in 1967, was registered as a charity with the Charities Commission on 30 June 2008   (Charity No. CC36074).

Its 2010 and 2011 financial statements available on the Commission’s website, reveal that this lobby group – noted for its “perpetual advocacy” of humanism – received $24,895 in donations between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2011, money solicited from the public to specifically fund its “NZ Atheist Bus Campaign”.

Only 56% ($13,948) of the donations received over this period were spent on the advertising campaign and no transparent explanation appears to be provided in the financial accounts as to how the remaining surplus ($10,947) was used.

Most of the surplus appears to have been absorbed in what has been labeled cutely, if not disingenuously, as an “investment loss” of $5,657 in 2010 and $716 in 2011 (total $6,373) – caused by the NZ bus company’s refusal to carry HSNZ pro-atheism ‘advertising’.

The bus company’s officials considered the HSNZ controversial advertising signs potentially offensive despite claims to the contrary by HSNZ that they were “friendly” and “innocuous”. NZ Bus officials took the view that the signs might negatively impact on their business and/or infringe advertising standards.

On 1 July 2010 the “NZ Atheist Bus Campaign” website (www.nogod.org.nz) announced that all donations received after that date would now be used for the transportation and installation of fixed billboards in cities around New Zealand.  “Tax-refundable donations” were called for via the website and the “Givealittle Service” website “for more billboards with atheist slogans across all New Zealand.”

These billboards contained the same “innocuous” and “friendly” message intended initially for the exterior of buses, namely:

“There is probably no god, now stop worrying and enjoy yourself”. [Read more…]

‘Coronation St’ plot killing reignites debate about levels of TV violence

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BRITAIN: A teenager who beat his mother to death with a hammer and burned her body in a “chilling” murder inspired by a Coronation Street plot has been jailed for at least 16 years.

The killing carried out by Daniel Bartlam, who was 14 at the time, is likely to reignite the debate about the levl of violence on televison, with, the interest group Mediawatch UK warning yesterday that soap operas were “pushing the boundaries”. [Read more…]