MENZ Issues: news and discussion about New Zealand men, fathers, family law, divorce, courts, protests, gender politics, and male health.

A headline article in the latest newsletter of the NZ Psychological Society expresses delight that the number of complaints reaching the Psychos Board has fallen dramatically.  This has enabled an insurance company to reduce professional indemnity premiums for Family Court psychos.  However, don’t imagine this indicates any improvement in  Family Court psycho assessments.  Don’t imagine they have become any more ethical, less feminist or less male-bashing.  Quite the reverse from what many fathers report; often such reports are now required only to assess whether a father is feminized enough to allow his children to have him as a father.  As usual, many psycho reports simply amplify and give undeserved credibility towards all manner of allegations women make against ex partners.

The reason complaints are not getting to the Psycho Board is that a cosy little agreement was made between Boshier and the Board.  This produced a “practice note” that ordered all complaints about psychos to be dealt with in the first instance by the Family Court judge, who would decide whether the complaint should be referred on to the Board.  The judges are now so effectively stifling complaints that hardly any get through to the psychos professional body for proper scrutiny.  (more…)

Press Release by United Future at 12:57 pm, 21 Oct 2008

Reports today that Wellington Zoo has solved the mystery of who fathered their baby chimpanzee through a DNA paternity test perfectly highlight the ludicrousness of family law in New Zealand, according to UnitedFuture deputy leader, Judy Turner.

“It’s an insult that we extend monkeys the right to determine parentage in this country, but refuse that basic right to fathers and children. It is a disgrace that men have no right at all to get a simple DNA test to confirm whether they are the father or not,” says Mrs Turner. (more…)

Happiness is really important, for an effective, relevant, working justice system.

Trust is key for happiest people in world

As economists probe better ways to measure well-being than pure wealth, they say the Danes – who are also among the world’s most prosperous people – have a tradition of equality and trust that is not widely replicated……….

OECD economist Justina Fischer – a German who has studied subjective well-being and its societal and economic correlations for many years – puts Denmark’s happiness down to the fact that people consume a relatively equal share of the wealth they generate, and trust each other. (more…)

Enforcing accountability and responsibility is essential for protecting children’s interests.

Stuff article

Family breakdown and decreasing marriage rates is costing New Zealand taxpayers at least $1 billion a year, according to new research.

Prepared by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), the research was commissioned by Family First NZ.

“The study shows that the decline of marriage, New Zealand’s high teenage fertility rate, and our rate of solo parenthood is not just a moral or social concern but should also be a concern of government and policymakers,” said Family First NZ national director Bob McCoskrie. (more…)

FYI, my email to Elections NZ, concerning their special section naming all women who have served in parliament:

I notice that your website has a special section entitled “Women in Parliament 1933-2005”. This section stands out because there is no similar section for other subgroups in parliament. There is a section about the number of Maori, Pacific and Asian MP’s but the information that provides is much less extensive than the women’s section; for example, the women’s section names every single woman who has served in parliament, her party, term of office etc.

While the increase in women’s political participation may be interesting, it is no more so than that of other sub-groups categorized by race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or disability. Your favouritism towards women’s participation treats their contribution in parliament as somehow better, more significant or more laudable than that of men or other subgroups. I do not believe a reasonable case could be made that women’s contribution has been superior or especially laudable, and I object to the sexism demonstrated on your web site. A special women’s section in the absence of similar sections for other sub-groups denigrates the contribution of all others who have served in parliament.

I would like to know where the directive or initiative came from for this special treatment of women on your web site, and how maintenance of this sexist propaganda is funded.

FYI, my letter to Dr McGregor, in relation to a recent case of false complaint in which the offender was, as usual, treated with undue leniency by the Court.

Dear Dr McGregor

You were quoted in the Waikato Times on 08.10.08 as follows:

“Dr Kim McGregor, director of Auckland-based group Rape Prevention Education, said that about 2-10 per cent of rape claims were false, but an estimated 91 per cent of sex attacks were not reported. Dr McGregor said false rape allegations were often triggered by traumatic experiences and questioned the benefit of prosecution in such cases.”

While you are entitled to your opinion and to express it, no doubt your position will be duplicitous. I am sure that you would not question the benefit of prosecution of male sexual offenders whose behaviour was triggered by traumatic experiences, as indeed is true for many of them. (more…)

I noticed that the UK is doing quite well with a men’s movement and I think this group is making it’s voice heard.

Real Father’s for justice

Anyhow, while reading the relevant information on the Auckland City Council website I came across the pages for event organising and noticed that they will direct you and assist you with what you need to do and provide their expertise and experience.

One thing I have noticed in the community is the desire to get men’s issues out in the open and sometimes I think there are a few egos in the political scene wanting to receive some sort of credit for it. (more…)

LONDON, October 9, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The largest UK teachers’ union wants the government to decriminalise sex with students who are over the legal age of consent. Chris Keates, the general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), said that teachers who have sex with pupils over the age of consent should not be placed on the sex offenders register. Keates called prosecution for statutory rape “a real anomaly in the law that we are concerned about.”

NASUWT complained that media reports had misrepresented their position. “To describe the NASUWT’s comments on this as ‘teachers want the right to bed pupils’ as one report has done, simply for pointing out an anomaly which criminalises a teacher but would leave any other adult free from prosecution for the same type of relationship, is a travesty.” (more…)

I need help. Please help!

I made phone calls today as I always do now and then to groups. But groups seem independent IMO. I find it really hard to find groups that are anti male and yet we follow an ideology.

Is this ideology just a political thing? I am serious! Maybe I didn’t get a piece or 2?

Plunket in Auckland can’t figure how they boo’ed John Keys for they don’t think they work with children over 5 years of age and Banardos understand father’s issues. (more…)

Reality of Battle Hits Home

Events over the past weekend have reminded me of just how important it is to speak up on family issues.

Last Saturday night, four women dressed in black came to our family home in South Auckland and placed almost 1,000 plastic knives into our front lawn. They also taped an intimidating note on our front door relating to the knives (anonymous of course!). (more…)