SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

What is Marriage? – The Department of Internal Affairs provides clarity

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What is a Marriage?

A marriage is the formalisation of a relationship between a man and a woman, in accordance with the Marriage Act 1955. The Marriage Act 1955 provides the criteria, rules and processes for two people to have their relationship solemnised as a marriage (by way of a formal ceremony) and officially registered in New Zealand.

Anybody can marry in New Zealand, as long as they are legally free to marry. Under New Zealand law this means that:

  • A marriage may only be entered into by couples of opposite sexes.
  • They are not already married or in a civil union with a person other than the person they will be marrying (or if they have been married, the marriage has been dissolved by a court of law).
  • They are old enough (16 or over, although parental consent is required if either party is 16 or 17 years old).
  • They are not closely related by blood, marriage, civil union or adoption. Details of these “prohibited” marriages appear on the form ‘Notice of Intended Marriage’, which is used to apply for a marriage licence.

If you do not live in New Zealand, you should check with the authorities in the place where you normally live to see if there are any special steps you must take or rules that apply when you marry in New Zealand.
Marriages registered in other countries will generally be recognised as marriages in New Zealand. Note, same-sex couples may not be married in New Zealand.

Sourced on 5 August 2013

http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Births-Deaths-and-Marriages-How-to-Get-a-Marriage-Licence#one

Marriage Act 1955: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1955/0092/latest/whole.html

Relationships Aotearoa Inc – an $8m government-funded charity

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Relationships Aotearoa Inc, a registered charity (CC24033) which received $7.91 million in government funding last financial year (ended 30 June 2012), via Child Youth and Family and Ministry of Justice operating grants, is described in the Dominion Post today as a “family counselling organisation” for which “marital status was not the most important factor in raising children” [Emphasis added]. However, this charity that employed 60 full time workers and 250 part-timers last year and spent $8,184,156 on wages and salaries last as well as $11,600 on its honorarium payments to central boardroom members, has no mention of, let alone definition of, the words “marriage” or “family” or “marital status” or “children” in its  Constitution and Rules (amended and approved at its AGM on 26 November 2012).

Its Constitution Objects” (available on the Charities website (www.charities.govt.nz) have all been approved by Charity Services/Department of Internal Affairs as serving “charitable purposes”. There is no mention anywhere in the Constitution/Rules that the charity has any obligation, duty of care or interest in educating parents, whether married or unmarried, in the “raising [of] children”. The entire focus of this charity which had a total operating income last year of $13,070,460 is on enhancing undefined “relationships”.

Midlands regional manager of Relationships Aotearoa, Ash Smart, is quoted in the Dominion Post as saying: “[Marital status] is not the issue [in raising children]. The issue is: Are they being born into strong and healthy relationships?”.

Family First NZ, another registered charity, while agreeing that strong and healthy relationships are important, puts such a statement in context – i.e. such relationships are important in the raising of children. It contends that children thrive best when raised by a loving mother AND father who are committed to each other in marriage. It recognises the excellent parental achievements of solo parents, de facto parents, and parents who adopt children, but emphasises that an input to children’s upbringing/nurture etc from both a father AND a mother (living together in a committed relationship) is the ideal environment in which to raise children.

So focused on undefined “fulfilling relationships” is the charity Relationshiops Aotearoa, that the closest and most precise statement about the $8m state-funded charitable activities of its employees is limited to the following:

Objects include:

3.1 To promote and advance the Society throughout New Zealand.

3.2 To support the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand to create fulfilling relationships by providing quality service including counselling, information and resources, and by building awareness of the importance of strong and healthy relationships.

3.3 To recognise and honour Te Tiriti O Waitangi.

3.1 To promote education for relationships throughout New Zealand.

The Dominion Post points out:

“Children needed to be in a home with love and warmth, and evidence showed having their biological parents around increased the likelihood of this.”

Family First NZ has for many years highlighted this very point, but gone much further by researching and publicising the factors that sadly lead to family breakdown and child abuse etc.

The Society for Promotion of Community Standards Inc, (“SPCS”) has as one of its objects: “To promote wholesome personal values, including strong family life and the benefits of lasting marriage as the foundation for stable communities.” (Constitution. s. 2[c]).

SPCS points out that loving and committed relationships between spouses in marriage is fundamental to the success of Society’s “natural and fundamental unit” – THE FAMILY. Supporting and promoting stable marriages should be seen by government as beneficial to Society’s well-being and future.

New Zealand and Australia are both signatories to Article 16 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), as are all member States of the United Nations

Article 16 states:

16 (1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have a right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

16 (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouse.

16 (3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

See: www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml

Note: The Relationships Aoterora Inc. website “Relationships Aotearoa: counselling & educating” listed on the Charities website as:

www.relationshipsaotearoa.org.nz

…. is currently NOT functioning. Its homepage states: ‘Our website is now under construction and coming soon’

From jail to mansion for conman Michael Andrew Swann

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A FRAUDSTER who still owes millions of dollars will be freed from jail to live with a prominent Christchurch businessman in his Banks Peninsular mansion.

Michael Andrew Swann, 51, will be paroled to Alasdair Cassels’ Governors Bay property, valued at about $1.35 million.

The home has an indoor pool, harbour views and is surrounded by a vineyard.

Mr Cassels confirmed yesterday that Swann would be living with him and his family, but only for a short time.

He said he received a call for help from Swann, who needed a place to stay after the Parole Board ruled another proposed address was unsuitable.

Mr Cassels first met Swann many years ago, but did not consider him a close friend. “The guy’s served his time and he’s trying to get himself rehabilitated – trying to get himself back into the workforce. Why should he be cast on the rubbish heap?”

Swann will be employed  by a Christchurch company doing engineering and biotech work.

Swann’s release from Christchurch Men’s Prison comes after he has served less than half of his jail sentence. His release date is July 31.

Swann and his associate, Kerry Harford, were found guilty in 2008 of defrauding the then–Otago District Health Board of about $16.9m by invoicing the board for bogus computer-related services.

Swann, the health board IT manager at the time, was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years’ jail with a non-parole period of four and-a-half years. He was ordered to repay the Crown $9.5m.

A Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment spokesperson said yesterday that only $3.2m had been recovered through the sale of seized assets, but the case “remains open”.

Swann has acknowledged it is unlikely he will ever be able to repay the sum in full.

Former health board chairman Richard Thomson, who was sacked by Health Minister Tony Ryall after Swann was sentenced, said he was angry the “sociopath” would be released at his first attempt at parole.

Mr Thomson, now a Southern District Health Board member and a Dunedin city councillor, said Swann still refused to co-operate with the district health board over outstanding legal matters.

His refusal to sign a document continued to cost it money.

“He’s a nasty piece of work,” Mr Thomson said.

Swann had hoped to live at his boss’ address, but the Parole Board was concerned at the potential for “collusion”.

Swann appeared before the Parole Board again last month.

A psychologist’s report assessed Swann as at low risk of reoffending and prison staff supported him in letters to the board.

As part of his release conditions, he is not to be involved in the oversight of any business, or handle another person’s money or invoices relating to any business or commercial enterprise.

Source:

The Dominion Post. Tuseday, July 16, 2013, p. A2

Story by Blair Ensor

Fairfax NZ

Further reading:

1. SPCS Report: 11/11/2010

https://www.spcs.org.nz/2010/michael-swann-checketts-mckay-fraud-and-otago-dhbs-missing-6-million-report/

2. Convicted fraudster Swann freed

by Rosie Manins. 16 July 2013

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/264949/convicted-fraudster-swann-freed

Quote:

Former ODHB chairman Richard Thomson said Swann’s release was not a surprise, but it was disappointing. He said Swann was not remorseful and the only lesson he had learned was not to get caught.

”My understanding is he will be going to live in a property that most of us can only dream about. And he will be doing so despite continuing to cause the population of Otago and Southland lost health opportunities as a result of his refusal during his prison term to engage with the board.”

Mr Thomson was board chairman for part of the time when Swann’s fraud occurred and consequently was sacked from that position in 2009 by Health Minister Tony Ryall. He remains a member of the Southern District Health Board.

Mr Thomson said Swann had caused the board ongoing legal costs but could have prevented the extra expense ”with a signature and at no cost to himself”.

”I believe he’s done that deliberately, and I find it extraordinary the parole board has either not sought to establish whether he has co-operated in any way, or that the parole board has not considered his failure to do so indicative of his lack of remorse.

”The primary issue is whether this man co-operated to put right what he did that was wrong and I know, but am not at liberty to detail, that he has failed to do so.

”That to me is indicative of both his personality and of his complete absence of remorse,” Mr Thomson said.

Battle against child pornography is global fight without borders

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IN NEW ZEALAND we are well aware that we lag behind similar developed countries in rankings for child pornography.

Our abuse figures continue to shame us. Stories of neglect and cruelty are daily media events.

But another level of abhorrence was added last week with the story of a child in California bought, adopted and traded for the purposes of satisfying paedophiles across three continents.

The perpetrators of this crime were tracked and the child rescued – with credit due to investigators at the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs, police, Customs officials and others. New Zealand is a leader in the global effort to combat activities such as this and its ugly cousin child pornography.

Our Department of Internal Affairs has been at the forefront of this worldwide effort to find and bring to account purveyors of activities that sexually exploit children.

The Innovative Super Squirrel Hunter software at Internal Affairs has been customised for more than 20 other countries and is hailed worldwide as a major tool in the campaign to free children from sexual exploitation.

In 2011, six men associated with what was described as the world’s biggest paedophile ring, were charged with child pornography offences committed in New Zealand.

At that time Detective Senior Sergeant John Michael said he believed it was likely to be the tip of the iceberg. “It’s rampant in New Zealand and if the public knew the scale of the offence here, they would be appalled.”

The attitudes and behaviour of consumers of child pornography around the world degrades and puts all children including our own, at risk.

It is a borderless crime.

Behind every single one of those images is a real child looking to the adult world to protect them. A report from Unicef in 2009 estimated millions of victims and stated that boys and girls of all ages and backgrounds and in every region of the world were subjected to this type of sexual abuse and exploitation.

The creators and clientele of the child pornography industry are unrelenting in their pursuit of victims. The child at the centre of last week’s case was a baby when he was purchased for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

Especially concerning is that in most cases no-one knows who or where these children are and rescuing them from exploitation is deeply challenging. The expertise and experience of the investigator at Internal Affairs in New Zealand was the vital connection that led to the rescue of the little boy.

But the practice will continue until there is widespread awareness and acknowledgement that wherever such images originate, children are severely harmed.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child endorsed by every country in the world, and which New Zealand signed up to in 1993, obligates our state agencies to act always in the best interests of children. Article 34 commits us to protect children from any kind of sexual abuse.

We applaud the police, Internal Affairs and Customs for their vigilance and dedication to protecting children.

We need to continue our support and investment in these programmes to ensure that the evil industry cannot flourish here in New Zealand.

Author: Barbara Lambourn, national advocacy manager, Unicef NZ.

Source: The Dominion Post. Friday, Jukly 12, 2013, p. A9

More kids committing sexual abuse due to easy access to hardcore porn

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Easy access to increasingly hardcore pornography and the sexualisation of childhood are being blamed for a rise in the number of children sexually abusing each other.

Growing numbers of children and teenagers are committing acts of sexual abuse against other children every year, with some as young as 11 being prosecuted for sexual offences.

Experts are calling for compulsory cyber-education programmes in all schools from primary level to stem the impact of explicit material.

Ministry of Justice figures received under the Official Information Act show that, since 2008, there have been 1299 prosecutions for sexual offences brought against young people under the age of 18.

This has risen steadily over the past five years, with 314 prosecutions last year compared to 204 in 2008. These are for offences ranging from rape to indecent assault and sexual grooming, with victims, both male and female, under the age of 16.

The youngest offender was 11. Only one of the offenders was a girl. Police say the jump in prosecutions was due to better knowledge and increased reporting of sexual abuse, rather than a rise in incidents.

To read full story go to:

More Kids Committing Sexcual Abuse – Story by Michelle Duff

8 July 2013

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8889144/More-kids-committing-sexual-abuse