Care Of Children Bill Shatters Hopes And Dreams

ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today expressed sympathy for fathers and children throughout the country, who have been hoping against hope that the Government would introduce changes to make our Family Law fairer.

"With the Care of Children Bill, Labour has shattered the hopes of these estranged fathers and children, and turned its back on their plight," Dr Newman said.

"For five years I have campaigned to have Shared-Parenting introduced as a foundation principle of New Zealand's Family Law, in a bid to reduce fatherlessness and all the negative consequences on children that it brings.

"Fathers' groups have been vocal in their advocacy of this law change, and have been met by representatives of every political party - all of whom have made soothing noises and promised their support. Only two parties, however - National and ACT - have been true to their word, supporting amendments that would have improved this Bill.

"Today is a sad day for all those New Zealanders who understand just how unfair Family Law has become in this country. As the Care of Children Bill is passed into law, these people will understand, once and for all, that we have a Government that is not committed to family nor to children - otherwise it would have made this law fairer," Dr Newman said.

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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>>