Does the new government speak with forked tongue?
I don’t know how to go about it but I think this is an opportunity to press for the state apparatus to support father involvement. Fatherless children are at risk children.
Tariana Turia states “Families need to stay strongly connected so that they are able pick up on any issues that arise.” So now is the time to ask her what she is going to do to combat the Family Court to stop their culture of creating barriers to separated fathers being connected with their children.
Turia wants privacy laws reviewed
19/11/2008 10:50:54Privacy laws may be reviewed in a bid to better protect children, in the wake of the Nia Glassie case.
Incoming Associate Minister of Social Development Tariana Turia says the Curtis brothers, who were found guilty of murdering the three year-old, come from a very fine family and the case shows that they were disconnected from their whanau. She says families need to stay strongly connected so that they are able pick up on any issues that arise.
Mrs Turia says a charitable trust in Rotorua, Tipu Ora, asked for every newborn Maori child to be referred to it, so it could track their progress until they were five-years-old. But she says hospitals in region area felt they could not do that, due to confidentiality issues.
“I believe that we’ve got to get an organisation like Tipu Ora operating really strongly and having all the children who are born referred to them so they can follow through.”
Mrs Turia does not believe the government should be taking responsibility for Nia’s murder and says the community and families are ultimately responsible for protecting children.
I have encouraged all to congratulate their MP of what ever hue, returning or new. Make yourself known to their local secretary, attend party functions & meetings. It may seem mundane and nothing, however remember the old adage – “A drip can wear away a rock”.
Comment by Alastair — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 1:15 pm
I think Alastair is right. I think it’s worth a go.
Comment by Dave — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 3:25 pm
At least this government INTENDS supporting families, compared to the previous government which INTENDED to break down families.
We can build on this by explaining to MP’s just HOW they can help to turn the tide.
John
Comment by John Brett — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 4:14 pm
#3 That may be your view John. We shall see just what intentions they have by their actions. Personally I think all politicians wish to be elected and have power. Does their intentions reach beyond that? Time will tell.
All this agreement from three posters was just too much for me. I’m assuming Alistair wishes to send Peter Burns as a slowly dripping tap to help wear away the rocks.
Comment by allan Harvey — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 4:42 pm
I believe Turia and Pita Sharple are worth a try and they may be the best hope.
Every nut in the streets of New Zealand will tell you that what the family court does is crazy.
The truth is New Zealanders are not aware of the trauma and abuse the family court inflicts on children who find themselves powerless at changing things.
Labour has made Annette King (The family violence, smacking guru etc] deputy. That tells me that they have not learned the lesson from the last election.
Comment by tren — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 5:56 pm
Tren speaks my view. Turia and Peter Sharples are real people. They action and make progress on the ground. The Maori have found ways around the left wing. And they want to share. They want to help Europeans also. They want for the Nth Shore men’s group to ask them for money. But the Nth Shore men’s group can’t show where the last lot of money was spent. So they are out of business. They can’t help the men’s movement.
I live in Waitakere and know the politics that go on here. Our Mayor is left wing and some great men are on the board for men in the council but the Maori are onto the political gain. They don’t want the global movement and they certainly don’t want to chip their people or any of us. They know, they know, they know. They know what is going from a global movement and want to give the power back to the people.
Comment by julie — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 6:26 pm
There may be those who are happy to give power and control over the lives of their children to the State via NGO’s. Hitler Youth ran a similar program, its results are well documented. This proposal is a poor attempt at mitigating a problem, it wont remove the cause.
Kupapa have been common since the New Zealand Wars so support for National is not suprising.
Allan, you are dead right, lets look at outcomes. The first outcome being the 100 day drive for parking ticket protection orders.
Reminds me of a saying in my trade : there is more money to be made prolonging the problem than removing the cause.
Regards
Scrap
Comment by Scrap_The_CSA — Wed 19th November 2008 @ 9:59 pm
The Clark govt also proposed a birth-onwards tracking and control system for all babies born. This approach is unlikely to solve much and carries a very high risk of becoming intrusive and abusive. Strengthening the family and removing current incentives/facilitation for families breaking up is what’s needed. But it will be important to move away from isolated nuclear family units and instead encourage greater community linkage between intact families.
Comment by Hans Laven — Thu 20th November 2008 @ 2:37 pm