I wrote a post only 3 days ago of my fear of these young boys who are not in gangs carrying knives to protect themselves.

Violence and our teens

Well, 2 days later and we have a death and hospitilazion right outside one of the highest graded high schools in West Auckland and out side a church of people.

Youth stabbed to death in fight
UPDATED 9.40am Monday October 23, 2006

A 14-year-old Avondale college student (boy) was stabbed to death and another injured during an attack outside Avondale College last night.

Police said the incident was a random act of violence and the pair got into a fight with a group driving past.

“He was a jokester, no way he would look for trouble, he was too young” the youth said.

He said his brother was standing outside the school gates waiting for a friend to come back from a nearby dairy with a pie when he was attacked by a group of youths.

Pleae read the rest of the article. It is too heartbreaking for me to explain it all.

From: Australia
Author: Jim Macnamara at Online Opinion
Commentary: Intrepid
Via: Honor Network

Stats to Back Up What We Already Know From Experience
(Use these for Reference with those in Denial)

Here is a piece by a Aussie columnist showing that men’s activism has more behind it than just passion for the cause, by relating the stats that back up what many rant about of the forums. Unfortunately, like many, this columnist is unwilling to direct angry at anything but vague large terms (like the media) that aren’t directed at anything that will upset his readers. In this way solutions seem beyond his grasp, for they would involve stepping on the toes of all his effeminate readers feelings.

‘Dissing’ Men: The New Gender War

A 1995-96 study reported in a 2002 book, Media, Gender and Identity by media researcher David Gauntlett, found 43 per cent of major characters in TV shows were women – up from 18 per cent in 1992-93. The study reported that, on a character-by-character basis, females and males were equal in all criteria studied. Analysis of newspapers and magazines also has found portrayals of women improving – albeit there is still a way to go in some areas according to feminist scholars.
(more…)

I wasn’t impressed with the Herald of Sunday article on child support. Judith Collins has obviously enlisted the help of some of our lame journalists, to promote her cause. Any journalist with an ounce of credibility would have had opposing views in their article. Perhaps the suggestion here is that there is no opposing point of view. Given that parliament has just passed new child support legislation why is Judith Collins running the big National Party campaign? It has just been debated in parliament. Collins is starting to run over that fine line the way she carries on about Deadbeat Dads and child support. Sounds to me like she is locked into some sort of high flying girls club who have been trying to get money off their ex under the child support legislation. That has nothing to do with families and children. That is just abusing your political position. It is more likely to be about the corporate bitch that didn’t have the best accountant.

In the mean time organisations like Parents for Children and Project Re-Union will continue to exist, and will work toward advocating for realistic legislation. If the world is a smaller place then we do not need to run years behind the rest of the world in social legislation. England for example has abandoned the same type of legislation that puts fathers in debt to the state — it doesn’t work.

I suspect the news about the child support Forum in Auckland next weekend and the conference in Wellington in January is starting to get around. This could be what is drawing Collins out on a limb. Given the list of press releases and articles Collins has produced recently you would be forgiven for thinking this was Nationals “Key” platform and she was in Election mode.

Beyond this you can see just how sad our political situation is when you look at the Families commission. They haven’t even worked out what they are meant to be doing, and they were right into the Labour party support role — abandon section 59. Did I miss the release about child support from them? So much for the independent voice for the family! Collins is family spokesperson. Did you see the family’s commission responding to all the press releases Collins has released lately on child support?

The biggest laugh of all is old Chuck Bird quitting Act and cuddling up to Collins. Is Collins recently separated or something?

? The Sunday Hearld and Auntie Judith? a at it again.

So lets look at the quality of Journalism that the Sunday Herald provides in this article.
Stephen Cook showcases how lamentable the quality of journalism on Child Support Tax debt actually is.

——
1) Focusing on “387 fathers” who are alleged to owe “6.3 in Child Support” is a good example of? tabloid statistics. There are 123,134 parents who IRD consider in debt? and this sensationalist journalism “rich dads owe millions” focuses on 0.3143% of this population excluding the other 97.7%

—–?
2) Granny Herald continues to ? promote Auntie Judy’s claim there is over 1 billion in Child Support Tax owed. This claim is incorrect and a quick search of Google reveals “The latest figures for child support debt nationally show that the total is just over $1 billion, with unpaid penalties making up about $640 million of that.”
The reality is that child support tax owed is about 360 Million. Number two example of the failure of Granny Heralds “journalist”, Stephen Cook to do conduct any basic research and analysis? before publication. Penalties go to the crown as will the bulk of the “debt”. Very little of any money collected will go to children.

——

3) I must ask where the balance in this artilce is. Where is the interview with the mother who earned over 100K and was placed into debt by IRD misadministration? This person is real, but was the “journalist” interested? No, looking at the root cause of the failure of this legislation for both paying and reciving parents is beyond the tabloid press brief.

Who was quoted? An IRD Spokespersom, whats the name of the offical? An Auckland mother, related to the journalist perhaps? Judith Collin a National MP? who should employ a decent analyst. Where is the balance?

——-

4)? Would not the basic question to be asked in an article that slams as deadbeat any parent who is “in debt” for child support tax be : Whyare 72% of parents who pay child support tax in debt ??

——?

5) Judith Collins, representing the National Party, is following in the footsteps of a campgain begun by Katherine Rich? is seeking to reduce the publics perception of any parent who owes a child support tax debt as a deadbeat dad, depriving their children of? the support they are entitled to.? These errant parents will be forced into line when the National Party takes control.?

Now surely any reporter would have sought more information on these 387 fathers before he reacged a conclusion that tey are deadbeat.

How many of these parents are in “debt” as a result of IRD’s admoinistration of the Act?

How many parents in this group have had an unrealistic payment level set in the secret administrative review tribunal?

How many of these parents are making compulsory student loan repayments.

How many of these parents have been a;llenated from the children they are levied for?

How many of these parents are making payments agreed to with IRD to repay the? “debt”?

Why do 387 parents owe 6.3 million dollars?

That represents an average debt of of about $162,000.

This should be demanding some investigative journalism!Any improvement reuires that the root cause or causes not chasing symptoms. The “debt is a symptom” of fundemtal flaws in the underlying legislation.

This legislation is not serving parents or their children and the best the? “journalists ” can come up with is? National Party Spin?

It would be nice to see a journalist who had the? “balls” to report the real story of Child Support Tax in this country.

? ? ? ?

So, while we sit back and watch our country turn into a COMPLETE frenzy over women being safe from even a hard word, we need to ask ourselves “Do our youth have a hope for a future?”

My 2 eyes and ears have been watching and hearing some really disturbing facts.

Over the last week I have been discussing with young males aged 15, 16, and 17 the implications of them taping kitchen knives to their calves when going out to the city to listen to a band or to the plaza to watch a movie. I do understand why they are doing this and I do not misunderstand the fear they feel. I mean, it has become life threateneing for our young men to leave home on an outing especially at night . But I can’t help but see the innocence in their eyes and wonder if they could even use a knife to lunge into another human being’s body.

There is no way it would be easy to cut someone but then they are starting by explaining to each other that you need to stab and twist else the perpertrator will get back up even with the knife lodged inside them.

Do you know that these are good boys. They are not the one’s whose father’s are involved in gangs but have father’s and mother’s who would love to give luxuries but can only afford the bare essentials. These young guys are the kids getting the high marks at school, love sports and can cook and clean, wash they own clothes, clean their rooms, read books, are computer savvy and more. They are the next generation of University students, polititions and parents.

But today they live in fear and the adults don’t seem to care. The fear is not just from gangsters in their colors parading the streets looking for victims or driving around in their cars looking to jump one or a few unsuspecting young males but it is the females who males normally wouldn’t fear because they are not supposed to be able to harm as bad as a male. But these women have no fear, no consequenses to keep them accountalbe and they have knives in their bags ready and waiting for the opportune moment. And the boys know they are powerless to the females.

Only last week I sat at a train station with around 20 other adults listening to 3 teenage girls in high school uniforms loudly discussing how they punch and kick males and one had stabbed a young man, got caught but with no real consequense. How ugly these girls looked to me but then to them it was all one big joke and nothing to be ashamed of for they were proud and it was as if they had no shame to carry on infront of all the adults.

Just for a moment I will tell of even the younger generation. While sitting at the library, I saw and heard a lovely librarian female walk up to a 9 year old boy who was using the computer and asked if he needed some help. He turned to her and said, “You can’t assualt me.”

Little does this young man know of his future from 3 years on.

What is going on??????

Mr Dunne released a discussion document setting out options, including a possible initiative to recognise the work of volunteers by giving them a tax rebate as well.

The document suggests rewarding volunteers for their time by setting a nominal hourly rate which they could use to claim a tax rebate.

Link:

Link to Bad News.

Hit the link, scroll down to legal issues, listen, pray, then imagine the goal posts fading into the distance.

Yes they have done it again, the girls have changed the rules.

For some reason I can’t make comments on Menz, so I will post this, because I it is important to teach society what the individual reality is. It was intended as a comment to the bottom line.

I remember writing a comment a while back to this effect. When you look at what a person describes, ask yourself where it happened. In the home, in a lawyer’s office, in the family court, at a Police Station, an IRD admin review and so on. The operative word here is isolated: without an audience, in secret, away from the public eye, without a process of accountability. It is an invisible wall in society that is as real as the Berlin wall, and probably twice as effective, because it is transparent but so many people still can’t see through it.

Feminism has hidden its foot soldiers in the noblest of professions. We just have trouble accepting that the people we would normally trust can often be a ruthless enemy.

If you ever get a chance to use any of the public library’s computers around New Zealand that are free for public use you will notice that you can research anything on women’s rights and have access to any site but men’s right’s sites are being blocked as inappropriate.

I wonder where else this is happening?

Scoop article

quoting Dalziel

I understand that you are also very close to concluding (or recently have concluded) a two-year contract with the Ministry of Social Development, which will give you certainty about ongoing core funding. The challenge though is to ensure that funding levels remain realistic over time.

It wasn’t the justification I was pointing out it was the 2 year funding contract from the government. What also concerns me is that the new charities commission having the power to deregister charities for political intent. If you don’t suit the politics of the day we will deregister you, if you suit the politics of the day we will fund you.

It just so happens that I am renting 2 houses for the next 3 weeks and 1 of them is empty. (we can furnish if need be)
So, if anyone knows someone who finds themselves served with domestic violence papers because their partner has decided they want you/them out instantly or you have to get away for a break give me a call.

Also if you want to come to Auckland for the ‘Child Support Seminar’ on October 29th 2006 and need somewhere to stay give me a call. 025 224 1548 or [email protected]

House available from 17th October to 6th November 2006.

From: F4J (US)
Written By: Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post
Presented By: Kurt Anderson
Via: The Honor Network

Father’s Rights Dad Protest for 4 days a top Liverpool Landmark

A CAMPAIGNER for fathers’ rights had his lone protest on top of a prominent Liverpool landmark.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, scaled the 133ft Wellington column at the end of William Brown Street, close to Lime Street, and unfurled protest banners underneath the bronze statue of the Duke of Wellington.

It is not known how he managed to scale the column, which stands on a pedestal incorporating records of the Iron Duke’s battles. Police kept a low-key presence at the site throughout the day and set up a small cordon around the monument, close to some of the city’s most historic buildings.

A Merseyside police spokesman said: “Officers are communicating with the man, who it is believed is making a personal protest concerning his immediate family.

“The protest is not affecting traffic, and we will continue to ensure public safety in the immediate area around the column.”

4 Days Later

The 44-year-old man came down from the Wellington column and was arrested by police on suspicion of criminal damage. He was taken to a police station where he will be interviewed today.

The man, from the Walton area, had kept a vigil on top of the 133ft column near Lime Street since Sunday morning. He unfurled banners underneath the bronze statue of the Duke of Wellington, in what was believed to be a protest over fathers’ rights.

A spokesman for Merseyside police said the man had been examined and did not require hospital treatment.

From the Families Commission website:

The Commission is a unique organisation that gives New Zealand families an independent voice. Through the evidence we gain from research, and by listening to families themselves, we strive to give New Zealand families a voice.

Commission responds to new research on smacking

Section 59 must be repealed,” says the Chief Commissioner of the Families Commission, Rajen Prasad.

From the Families Commission Act 2003:

Obligation to obtain views of specified groups
Section 13. Mechanisms for obtaining views of specified groups

In the exercise and performance of its powers and functions, the Commission must maintain mechanisms (for example, by appointing advisory committees or forming consultation forums) to ensure that there are at all times readily accessible to it the views
…
[Examples] d. of groups that represent families, or 1 or more kinds of family members, and of groups that have a particular interest in families or in any 1 or more matters related to the Commission’s functions.

Dunnes Diaster comes to life!

A small consolation – at least Rajen Prasad isn’t the Auditor General.

Psychiatrist and social commentator Thedore Dalrymple has spent a lifetime working with the dregs of British society — violent criminals and the politicians he believes are responsible for many of the failings of modern society.
…

Less than 24 hours after arriving in New Zealand this week, he had already opened a Pandora’s box of moral and social outrage by suggesting divorce should be outlawed except on the grounds of violence, infidelity or “failure to keep one’s responsibilities”. Tax breaks should be offered to married couples in order to reassert the power of the family and a “sexual revolution” was responsible for soaring domestic violence.
…

In a 1998 essay, What Causes Crime (published in his book, Life at the Bottom), Dalrymple ponders the causes of New Zealand’s post-1950s surge in crime. Examining several high-profile cases he concluded of the Peter Ellis sexual abuse affair that “a New Zealand court has given credence to accusations that even the Spanish Inquisition might have found preposterous.”
…

“There are areas in Britain where fatherhood is completely unknown other than in a biological sense. Children are growing up in loveless environments in which they regard all human relationships as a means to an end for their personal gratification of the moment. That is a recipe for a very unpleasant life,” says Dalrymple.

Link to complete article on Scoop.

Chris Trotter – A poor excuse for villainy

Theodore Dalrymple is right about the modern welfare state — it is chock full of moral hazards. It does offer a range of perverse incentives to the unfortunate human beings caught up in its bureaucratic coils. And, at its heart, there really is a howling ethical void.

Media Release
Parents for Children
12 Oct 2006
For Immediate Release

Dunne’s Double Standard

“It’s one rule for Child Support Taxpayers and another for Peter Dunne and United Future.” is how Mark Shipman, of Parents for Children, describes Peter Dunne’s United Future Party repaying only $5000 of the $63,800 dollars misspent by United Future during the 2005 election.

“Mr Dunne has been the driving force behind the Child Support Amendment Bill (No 4). It seems he is unhappy for United Future to meet its responsibility to repay misspent election monies, but is quiet keen to grant greater powers to IRD to pursue parents who are in “debt” to the Crown.” observed Mark.
“Mr Dunne, Associate Revenue Minister, is happy to use the full force of the Crown to pursue parents who, often through no fault on their part, owe a “Child Support Tax debt” to the Crown. Mr Dunne, United Future Leader, is busy trying to weasel United Future out of repaying misspent election monies owed to the Crown. It’s obviously do as I say, not as I do.” concluded Mark
For further information contact
Mark Shipman 021982222
?

Parents for Children is a national organisation seeking legislative change to enable parents who have separated to continue parenting and supporting their children.
This requires:
1. Presumptive shared parenting
2. A fair and reasonable child support system
Parents for Children advocates that the best outcome for children of separated parents is ongoing equal sharing of parental rights and responsibility by both parents.

This post is for those working in community groups in New Zealand. Please be aware that there are a number of young men that out of fear that the Family Court is anti-men are fighting young women with lawyers and through the FC proceedure of counselling and then mediation.

I think it is wonderful these young males feel comfortable enough to stand up and demand access to their children and want to continue being a major part as a father but be-aware that some of them have not had their names on the birth certificates and are now becoming liable for many years of child support.

Nothing to alarm them about but please just walk them through back pay of average $25,000 for 4-5 years (plus penalties) and $80 a week for the next so many years.

It might be a good idea to invite the other partner to a discussion outside the law. Remember, the fear of feminism may not be prevalent in their relationship.

Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

Women dress to impress when they are at their most fertile, US researchers said recently in a study they say shows that signs of human ovulation may not be as mysterious as some scientists believe.

Article Link

The Just Cause, of Judith Collins. Hold your breath, lean forward, can you smell the campaign.

Scoop:9.10.06

Stuff 10.10.06

stuff 11.10.06

Scoop: 13.10.06

Whats happening overseas…..

The Bobby Brown Case.

Is this where we are headed.

You can understand what they mean by box on……

To: “Margaret Denny”
Subject: Re: Child Support OIA
CC:
Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:54:38 +1300
Status: normal
From: [email protected]
Reply-to: [email protected]

No, that was not the question I asked. That was how the
question was rewritten. It is petty people that make
politics a silly game.

Bevan Berg.
Republic if NZ Party. (more…)

From: BC Fathers (Canada)
Presenter: Dick Freeman
Author: Norma Greenway
News Service: Can Way
Via: The Honor Network

Women’s Groups Fear Tories will cut Funding of Militant Feminist Hate Groups

(Rights group forced to close, other organizations could follow as money dries up)

OTTAWA – A leading Canadian women’s rights group has been forced to close its office for lack of money and other federally financed organizations fear a similar fate as the Conservative government zeroes in on a promise to cut spending by $1 billion this fiscal year.

The prospect cheers Gwen Landolt, vice-presi¬dent of the pro-life, pro-family conservative lobby group REAL Women Canada and a fierce critic of federal funding of “feminist” and other special inter¬est groups.

“It’s simply an abuse of taxpayers’ money to fund only one ideology,” Landolt said in an interview.

Suspense over how much, if any, money will flow to women’s and other groups should end within the next week or so when the government tells Canadians what programs it plans to curb or kill to meet its budget commitment.

Opposition MPs accuse the government of using the spending review to dismantle by “stealth” the 30-year-old agency known as Status of Women Canada, which, among other things, hands out almost $11 million a year to groups committed to promoting gender equality and the full participation of women in society.

Bev Oda, minister responsible for the status of women, is playing her cards close to her chest, refus¬ing requests for interviews and sidestepping direct questions about possible funding cuts. Agency offi¬cials also have not returned repeated phone calls.

Under heated questioning in the House of Com¬mons this week, Oda said the government is com¬mitted to taking “dramatic” action to improve the lives of women.

But she also said money had been wasted on social and cultural groups in the past, and the gov¬ernment was determined to ensure it gets put to the best use in the future.

NDP MP Irene Mathyssen, the party’s status of women critic, said the government’s foot dragging on hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pend¬ing funding applications from women’s group’s means programs are being cut one by one.

“We are raising the alarm,” Mathyssen said in an interview. “This government clearly has no interest in the status of women.”

The Ottawa-based National Association of Women and the Law NAWL, which has sought yearly finding of about $350AE to finance its advo¬cacy and research activities on such issues as equal pay for work of equal value, was forced to shutdown earlier this month – and lay off its two paid employees – after it ran out of funds.

NAWL treasurer Alison Dewar said the group, which is still paying rent on its office, hopes to reopen if it gets federal funding.

Landolt said the Harper government should kill Status of Women Canada.

“It [the agency] is based on the whole concept that women are victims of a patriarchal society,” Landolt said. “Nobody really believes that anymore. Its time has passed.”

Hosted by Project Re-Union.

Tackling the Child Support Issue.
Sunday 29th Oct 10.00am to 3.00pm

Guest Speaker Dr Viv Roberts.

Remuera Bridge Club.
273 Remuera Rd,
Auckland.
Entry $10.00 Donation.

Smacking children not so harmful – study

Smacking children does not necessarily make them more likely to become aggressive and antisocial, new local research shows.

Research by the Dunedin multidisciplinary health and development study shows children who are smacked lightly with an open hand on the bottom, hand or leg do much the same in later life as those who are not smacked, The New Zealand Herald reported today.

from stuff.

We must take all the steps we can to foster healthy, positive relationships within our families. This includes ending our tradition of smacking our children. Section 59 must be repealed,” says the Chief Commissioner of the Families Commission, Rajen Prasad.

SCOOP Article

British psychiatrist Theodore Dalrymple is in New Zealand in October to speak to concerned groups and leaders about how policy decisions contribute to our country’s appalling crime rate. He has seen the growth of a dispirited, crime-ridden underclass in Britain and believes NZ is following a similar downward path, as a result of policies that have given us squalor in the midst of extreme wealth.

Dalrymple’s views are formed from many hard years of experience as a prison and hospital psychiatrist dealing with criminals, the impoverished communities and dysfunctional families they came from.

Public meetings:

NAPIER

Friday 13th October in Napier at the Century Theatre from 6:00 – 8:00pm. Tickets $10 from the Century Theatre 06 835 7781

TAURANGA

Tuesday 17th October in Tauranga at the Baycourt Exhibition Room from 1:00 – 5:00pm.

AUCKLAND

Wednesday 18th October at the Centennial Theatre at Auckland Grammar School at 7:30pm.

Gordon Copeland
List MP
Responsibilities
Economics & Business
Finance; Revenue; Customs; Public Trust; Economic Development; Industry & Regional Development; Small Business; Commerce; State Owned Enterprises; Labour & Immigration;

—– Original Message —–
From: Bevan Berg
To: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 9:29 PM
Subject: United Future Revenue Spokesmen.

Dear Mr Copeland,
Having visited your United Future website I see you are spokesman for Revenue. As your portfolio includes child support I would be grateful if you would give me your opinion on the new child support legislation before parliament. In particular you might like to address two issues.
1. What impact do you think the new legislation will have on Small Business (also part of your portfolio.)
2. What effect is the new legislation likely to have on families and children.

While you are reading this you are probably thinking this is already on the MENZ website and you would be right. If there is no reply in the comments, readers will be well aware that you did not reply to me.

Bevan Berg.

I would normally post this response in the comments section, but as Mr Berg believes his request for an official information act (OIA) application is worth two posts itself, it is appropriate I post this separately.
Mr Berg has been alleging that the Minister of Revenue, has been ‘deliberately withholding’ the information for his request.
“Today 4 October 2006, I asked Mr. Dunne if he is deliberately withholding this official information, and to explain why. Mr. Dunne’s behaviour is shameful, and reflects badly on his United Future Colleagues. I will also be asking his colleagues to explain their leader’s behaviour.”
You state that your application was received on the 7th of September.? On October 4th you were jumping up and down claiming it has been withheld.? But by my count, 20 working days after September 7 is October 5^th, and so it would have been due to be released yesterday.
Before you start making accusations, it would be best if you informed yourself of the facts.? For example, OIA requests are given 20 working days to be processed; I assume you thought it was 20 calendar days.? IRD, I am advised, ? always releases? OIA information on the 20th day after application.
Finally, your email to United MPs is pointless – the distinction between parliamentary service and Ministerial is clear.? While acting as Minister, Mr Dunne ceases to be acting as a United MP, but as a Minister of the Crown.? Accordingly, United MPs do not interfere with the Minister’s work.
I hope you are now enjoying the information that you requested, as I assume it was given to you Yesterday as that would be the 20^th day, as allowed for in the Official Information Act.
So Mr Berg, would you now admit that you were wrong about the Minister ‘deliberately withholding’ the info, and perhaps write an apology ‘press release’ like you apparently tried to do with your false accusatory statements?

Gordon Copeland, MP.