Wednesday, 1 September 2004

Copeland backs BRT family analysis

United Future Revenue spokesperson, Gordon Copeland, says the executive director of the New Zealand Business Roundtable, Roger Kerr, has got it completely right when he comments on the undesirability of the government gambling against the traditional family.

“I agree entirely with Mr Kerr that the international evidence is clear, namely that on average, children in two parent families have lower rates of mortality, accidents and child abuse than those raised by one parent.

“They do better at school, have better health, higher incomes and less relationship breakdown as adults. They have by far and away the lowest level of participation in the criminal justice system.”

Mr Copeland said “As Roger Kerr points out, this is not a criticism of sole parents, many of whom do a great job of raising children in less than ideal circumstances.

“But if government keeps the common good of our nation as a whole firmly in its sights, then it should be reviewing features of our current tax and welfare policies, and of family law, that may be conducive to family breakdown and the resultant single parenthood.

“This should lead us to the patently obvious conclusion that government policy needs to focus on children and their need for love and care and stability within a family based on a mother and father.

“This simple but fundamental shift in government policy will yield rich long-term dividends both for our children and the future strength and prosperity of our nation,” said Mr Copeland.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>