SPCS

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS INC.

Rainbow Wellington: Political advocacy of a charity supporting “LGBTI communities”

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Rainbow Wellington – The Wellington Rainbow Network Incorporated is a registered Charity (No. CC43245 registered on 30/06/08) that was incorporated  as a Society (Inc. No. 854300) on 15/07/1997 under the name “GAP-The Business and Professionals Association Incorporated”. Its name was changed from GAP to “The Wellington Rainbow Network Incorporated” on 19/05/2007 and it is widely recognised as having engaged in political advocacy as one of its primary (unstated) objects for years. Such advocacy work tends to go on under under the radar and is largely unnoticed by those who think the Network’s focus is on the more “visible” activities such as financing “events” for the “lesbian, gay,bisexual, transgender, and intersex (l,g.b,t,i) communities”.

An article published on GayNZ.com on 26th May 2013 provides reflections from Tony Simpson who has just stepped down after “the best part of a decade” on the Rainbow Wellington Board, mostly as chair. He reflects on some of his proudest RW [Rainbow Wellington] moments and the issues he thinks are most important moving ahead.

“Although RW tends to work under the radar and so its achievements go mostly unnoticed I would count among our successes: getting a major international insurance company to change its application forms to exclude some highly offensive personal questions.

“We have also been instrumental in reaching a position at our initiative with the Salvation Army which ensures that for the immediate future they will at worst remain neutral in any controversy over gay rights and at best take an active support role on some other issues if RW wants to build on it.

“It was also partly our pressure which narrowed the criteria for excluding gay men from blood donation.”

Tony Simpson says the group has also successfully prosecuted a couple of cases in the Human Rights Commission, one against the Blood Service, the other against the ANZ Bank, arising from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

“We have made our submissions to various Select Committees on legislation of interest to LGBTI people and, I flatter myself, had some effect on the outcomes, most latterly the marriage amendment legislation.

“We were able to bring a number of trans issues to the fore also by keeping up the pressure to have the recommendations of ‘To Be Who I Am’ implemented.

“My only regret is that I didn’t bring the blood donation matter to a final and successful conclusion although that is under way and there should be a further official review of international best practise this year.”

Source: http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/45/article_13401.php

The “Objects” of this charity/lobby group are available on the Charities website www.charities.govt.nz

Objects:

Rainbow Wellington is a non-profit association that aims to communicate with and educate the community at large on lesbian, gay,bisexual, transgender, and intersex (l,g.b,t,i) issues by:

1. Promoting a strong and positive sense of community for members of lgbti communities, in particular but not exclusively for those who are members of Rainbow Wellington, by encouraging social interaction, co-ordinating events of interest to them and celebrating our communities.

2. Offering support and encouragement to members of lgbti communities affected by discrimination and prejudice, and pursuing redress of discriminatory issues by engaging in public debate on such issues so that all those in lgbti communities enjoy the human rights available to all New Zealand citizens.

3 Providing financial assistance through grants and donations for individuals and groups undertaking specific activities that advance the causes of lgbti people.

4. Affiliating with and offering support to other organisations pursuing objectives consistent with those of Rainbow Wellington.

__________

The whole purpose of this pressure (lobby) group seems to be to highlight the alleged denial of human rights to members of the glbti communities.

See: http://www.rainbowwellington.org.nz/

Rainbow Wellington is a group representing the interests of, and organising social functions and activities for, lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and related people in the greater Wellington region. We have about a hundred and thirty core members, individual, business and corporate, and a wider contact list of several further hundred gltb people. We publish regular electronic newsletters giving notice of our various activities, and keeping members and friends up to date on current events of interest.

We take up issues of concern to our community in the human rights field. We have, for example, recently been pursuing the limitations on blood donation by gay men, and are urging the government to fully implement the Human Rights Commission report on transgender discrimination. We also are currently taking a lead in initiatives to end homophobic bullying in schools, and have taken up such issues as single gender parent adoption and the gay marriage option.

RW Campaigns [involving political advocacy] include:

Civil and Human Rights in New Zealand

Employment Relations Bill
Salvation Army

Meetings with Political parties

Education (Freedom of Association) Amend Bill

Prisoner Voting Bill

Homophobic bullying

Transgender

Adoption

Gay Blood Donors.

See article on glbt lobby group Rainbow Wellington – “The great gay blood donation debate”. 15 November 2009.

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/7/article_8146.php

See article – “Rainbow WGN’s bad blood over gay ban”. 20 June 2008.

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/printer_6103.php

The Partial defence of provocation
Homophobic abuse at the Stadium

Foreign Policy & Human Rights

Insurance – positive outcomes

Submission on the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill. Written by Tony Simpson.

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/32/article_12551.php

See: http://www.rainbowwellington.org.nz/Issues.htm

 

Greenpeace allowed to reapply for charity status with Department of Internal Affairs

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GREENPEACE is to be allowed to reapply for charity status with the Department of Internal Affairs [DIA has now taken over the role of the Charities Commission which was recently disestablished]

The environmental  lobby group had applied to be a charity in 2008, but the Charities Commission rejected  its application on the grounds that two of its objectives were political,  and not charitable.

The commission had also said that Greenpeace might be involved in  illegal activities, like trespassing, which could not be charitable.

After  an appeal to the High Court, Justice Paul Heath agreed that Greenpeace  should not be registered but made no ruling on any illegal actions. Greenpeace then took the case to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal today ruled that the object of promoting peace  through nuclear disarmament and the elimination of weapons of mass  destruction was a charitable purpose.

The Court of Appeal concluded  that the public benefit of nuclear disarmament and the elimination of  all weapons of mass destruction is now sufficiently well-accepted in New  Zealand society that the promotion of peace through these means should  be recognised in its own right as a charitable purpose.

During the Court of Appeal hearing Greenpeace indicated it would look at  making changes to its objectives, such as changing its rules to limit  political advocacy to activities that furthered its charitable objects.

Greenpeace’s application is to be sent back to be re-considered with the changes in place.

The Charities Commission has since been disestablished and the group’s  application will now go to the Internal Affairs Department chief  executive and the Charities Registration Board, which still has to decide  whether Greenpeace’s political activities are ancillary to its  charitable purposes.

The court said the board would also have to consider whether under the changed rules Greenpeace was involved in illegal activities or is likely  to be involved them in the future.

Greenpeace executive director Bunny McDiarmid said the group was “delighted the Court of Appeal recognised that promoting peace and nuclear disarmament was for the public benefit”. She said today’s ruling provided more clarity on what it meant to  be a charitable organisation promoting causes such as peace and nuclear  disarmament in the 21st century. “We will always remain non-party political promoting good environmental outcomes supported by nearly 60,000 Kiwis.”

Source: Greenpeace allowed to reapply as charity. Stuff News. 16/11/12

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7960488/Greenpeace-allowed-to-reapply-as-charity

“The Vegan Society of Aotearoa” – a lobby group and registered charity and its “political advocacy”

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“Veganz: the Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust“, was incorporated on 31 July 2002 as a charitable trust. But was it ever registered as a charity with the Charities Commission on 15 September 2010 (Charity Reg. No. CC45333), under another name: “The Vegan Society of Aotearoa” (an unincorporated Trust formed on 1 May 2010)?

There has never actually been any incorporated entity by the name “The Vegan Society of Aotearoa” in New Zealand and yet it is now a registered charity – registered on 15 September 2010 (Charity Reg. No. CC45333).

Under the Charities Act 2005 all entities registered as charities by the Charities Commission must be registered under their correct legal name if they are a legal entity such as an incorporated charitable trust.

The Vegan Society of Aotearoa is not an incorporated  entity and it was registered as a charity with the Charities Commission under this name, which is permitted under section 15 (e) of the Charities Act 2005.

The “aims and objectives of the the Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust (“Veganz), an incorporated body, are set out  in section 3 of its five-page Trust Deed dated 14 December 2004 and include the following:

3.1 To offer support and information to people interested in veganism in order to assist vegans and others to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

3.2 To promote and increase the awareness of veganism as a compassionate, healthy and environmentally beneficial lifestyle choice.

3.3. To raise awareness of the cruelty and exploitation involved with the production of animal based products and that it is unnecessary to inflict suffering and death on animals in order to lead to healthy and happy life.

3.4 To research information relevant to a vegan lifestyle and where appropriate to publish this information.

3.5 To lobby for manufacturers to use non-animal based materials in their products.

3.6 To support ethical alternatives to animal based and/or environmentally harmful research and production and when appropriate to lobby governmental and non-governmental bodies to change such practices.

3.7 Promote respect and compassion towards all animals and he environment by appropriate means.

3.8 To develop and maintain positive relationships with organisations with similar aims and objectives, and to offer such organisations support where appropriate.

In 2010 the Charities Commission approved “charitable status” to the unincorporated “Trust” (The Vegan Society of Aotearoa) which has clear links to the political “lobby” group – VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust, as defined by the latter’s two “aims and objectives” (3.5 & 3.6).

S. 3.6 clearly states that the targets of Veganz lobbying crusades to be “governmental and non-governmental bodies to change such practices [as] animal based/ or environmentally harmful research and production”.

When the Charities Commission granted The Vegan Society of Aotearoa charity status, it effectively affirmed this object (s. 3.6) as a  “charitable” – lobbying against almost every “animal based …. research and production” activity involved in our primary production sector, as well as any and every other research activity that Veganz judge to be “environmentally harmful”.

The means of changing the harmful, and “morally wrong practices” specified by Veganz, based on their activities, entail campaigns lobbying for law and policy changes (“political advocacy”).

The Vegan Society of Aotearoa, a registered charity, has as one of its “charitable purposes” – To “take action consistent with … promot[ing] veganism as an environentally, friendly, healthy and compassionate way of life.”

Society members under the cover of this apparently innocuous “charitable purpose” are in effect free to pursue all the objects set out in the Veganz Charitable Trust Deed – as they too promote veganism.

Veganz has been committed to a clearly defined political agenda since its incorporation. This involves lobbying “manufacturers” (s. 3.5), “government and non-government bodies” (s. 3.6) so that certain laws and policies relating to animal treatment and welfare can be changed and substituted with ones that are approved by Veganz members and the wider “animal rights” campaign networks, a number of which are also registered charities (e.g. SAFE – Save Animals From Exploitation).

A founding trustee of The Vegan Society of Aotearoa, Ms Amand Sorrenson, is currently Promotions Manager for SAFE (Save Animals from Extinction), an “animal rights” campaigner/lobby heavily involved in “political advocacy”. (See: http://www.safe.org.nz/Contact-Safe/).

Notes:

The charitable trust “Veganz” was incorporated as a Trust on 31 July 2002 (Reg. No. 1230157).

References:

Trust Deed of VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust dated 14 December 2004.

www.charities.govt.nz

www.vegansociety.org.nz

www.vegetarians.co.nz

VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust and political lobbying

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In 2005, Ms Sandra Murray Coordinator & Trustee of  Veganz (the Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust), of which she was Coordinator & Trustee”, conducted a survey of 101 vegans in New Zealand and found that the majority became vegans primarily for animal rights reasons, with the next highest recorded being for health reasons. Environmental reasons were cited by a very smal number of respondents, roughly the same number as cited spiritual/religious reasons and allergy/intolerance reasons (Energy & Food, Iss. 83, August 2005, pp. 8-9).

The notion of animals having “rights” is a highly charged and controversial subject in the field of bioethics and ethics/philosophy. It is indisputable that humans have rights not to be killed and eaten by other humans. But do all animals have the same “rights”? Many “animal rights activists” and doctrinaire vegans sincerely believe they do. The vast majority of reasonable-minded people believe they do not. The link between “animal rights” activism and veganism is well-established.

Is it significant that a founding trustee of The Vegan Society of Aotearoa, Ms Amand Sorrenson, is currently Promotions Manager for SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation), an “animal rights” campaigner/lobby heavily involved in “political advocacy”. (See: http://www.safe.org.nz/Contact-Safe/)? SAFE was registered as a charity with the Charities Commission on 30 June 2008 (Reg. No. CC44028).

Ms Sandra Joanne Murray is listed as “Coordinator & Trustee” of VEGANZ, on its Trust Deed and on the Statutory Declaration accompanying the application for the incorporation of VEGANZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand Charitable Trust, witnessed by Auckland barrister, Ms Metiria Stanton Turei (currently co-leader of the Green Party MP). Both documents are dated 17 July 2002 and were uploaded onto the Companies website on 31 July 2002.

Along with three other trustees, Ms Murray’s signature is also recorded on the Application For Incorporation of VEGANZ as a Board, dated 29 July 2002 and received by the National Processing Centre of the Companies Office on 31 July 2002 (uploaded on Companies website on 31/07/2002).

On 3 October 2004 the VEGANZ Trust Deed was amended and Ratified at the Trust’s AGM. A copy was signed by Ms Sandra Murray “to be a true and correct copy of the Trust Deed of VEGASNZ: The Vegan Society of New Zealand” on 14 December 2004. It was uploaded onto the Companies website on 20 December 2004. Its registration number is 1230157.

Two of the “aims and objectives” (section 3) of VEGANZ Charitable Trust Deed make it clear that this incorporated Trust is an “animal rights” lobby group.

s. 3.5 To lobby for manufacturers to use non-animal based materials in their products.

s. 3.6 “To support ethical alternatives to animal based and/or environmentally harmful research and production and where appropriate to lobby government and non-government bodies to change such practices.

Does sex education belong in schools? – TV One Close Up

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Does sex education belong in schools? – TV One Close Up

On TV One’s Close Up on 25 June 2012, host presenter Mark Sainsbury talked to American psychiatrist Dr Miriam Grossman and Auckland sex education specialist, Dr Katie Fitzpatrick. Dr Grossman has been brought to New Zealand by Family First NZ, a registered charity with the Charities Commission, to speak at its Conference on Thursday 28 June, in Auckland.

Dr Grossman was highly critical of the approach taken to sex education in our schools by the New Zealand Family Planning Association Inc. (FPA), another charity and lobby group like Family First NZ, registered with the Charities Commission. She referred to FPA material which she said failed to point young people towards the “ideals”of abstinence before marriage, fidelity and faithfulness within marriage, and the true nature of marriage as a life-long loving commitment of a man and a woman – providing a secure structure in which children can be raised and nurtured in an stable, safe and supportive loving environment – one that is sanctioned by the state.

She accused FPA of (1) focusing on the mere mechanics of sex and condom use in particular, (2) failing to highlight the “ideal” goal for young people to pursue of establishing a life-long commitment to a loving relationship where sexual intimacy can be expressed as nature intended, (3) disseminating misinformation about the ‘safety’/effectiveness level of condoms as a safeguard against STI transmission, and (4) accepting as a given that sexual promiscuity is so widespread among young persons that little can be done to address the problems of unwanted pregnancies and STDs, other than handing out free condoms and informing young pregnant girls about how they can secure an abortion.

Dr Katie Fitzpatrick disagreed and vigorously defended FPA’s policies and practice, stressing that instruction in the nature of human relationships within which sexual intercourse is appropriate is in fact taught by FPA. However, the evidence cited by Grossman from FPA website and printed content, indicated that it is largely devoid of any messages encouraging teenagers to abstain from sex prior  to marriage (as an alternative to casual sex) and certainly provides few if any with reasons for doing so.

Grossman feels that FPA has failed to inform young people of the seriousness of the consequences of engaging in promiscuous casual sex. FBA material such as “Get it On” and content on its “theword” website (www.theword.org.nz) came in for attack.

The New Zealand Family Planning Association Inc. (“Family Planning”) was registered as a charity with the Charities Commission on 13 September 2007 (Reg. No. CC11104). In the financial year ended 30 June 2011 FPA received income made up of $11,362,189 (government grants/contracts), $859,746 (other grants), $2,039,486 (income from service), $2,779 (membership fees) and $11,089 (donations). Its total gross income was $15,071,008, the bulk of it sourced from NZ taxpayers.

FPA’s total expenditure for 2010/11 was $14,624,562 with $10,014,371 alone spent on salaries and wages. It employed 62 people full-time and 214 people part-time. In an average week 6500 hours of paid work was carried out, the vast bulk of it funded by the NZ taxpayer.