Media Release From The Family Law Section

The Family Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society has moved quickly to distance itself from a call for there to be a national “Men's Day of Shame” coinciding with Fathers Day. The call reportedly came from Auckland barrister Denise Ritchie speaking at an international conference in Bangkok dealing with issues relating to the commercial exploitation of children, including the child sex trade.

It initially received immediate support from the Commissioner for Children, Roger McClay.

However, the Family Law Section has rejected the suggestion as ill considered and foolish. Family Law Section Chair Anita Chan said that Fathers Day was an opportunity to highlight the commitment and contribution of fathers to families in New Zealand.

The well being of the children of this country is significantly enhanced by good and effective fathering and there is every reason to celebrate this fact and support an important part of the family unit.”

Ms Chan said that to convert this family day into a statement of solidarity for the child victims of sexual abuse here and overseas would detract from the significance of Fathers Day and do little to address the underlying concerns that the Bangkok conference was apparently considering.

ENDS

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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>>