Families Commission: How 'Useful'

Details of Labour and United Future's new Families Commission raise more and more questions as the days go by, ACT New Zealand Families Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"After United Future said the Commission would cost around $10 million dollars, Prime Minister Helen Clark said it would merely have a `useful' budget. Do Labour and United Future have any idea what the other is saying? And, more importantly, what is a `useful' budget?

"What value does the Government put on a Commission that will simply end up doing the same thing that the Social Services Ministry and existing mentoring groups already do?

"The budget would have to be very useful indeed, if the Commission identifies families as being two-parents, single-parents, same sex couples, childless couples and even single adults. The Government is reaching for the skies on this one.

"ACT New Zealand believes the family has always been a cornerstone of society. Most families are able to conduct their own affairs. Rather than the creation of a new white elephant commission, ACT would favour stronger partnerships with the many community-based groups that are already doing a great job providing mentoring and support for families with little Government interference," said Mrs Roy.

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