Families Commission Will Change Nothing

Wednesday 23 Jun 2004

Heather Roy - Press Releases - Other

Prime Minister Helen Clark's announcement today, that six Commissioners have been appointed to the Families Commission, will amount to little more than an expensive talk-fest, ACT New Zealand Families Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"Due to be formally established on July 1 2004, the Families Commission will tell us nothing more than that which we already know to be untrue: that the white, middle-class male is to blame for everything," Mrs Roy said.

"The Commission has three core roles: advocacy, research and policy input and analysis - and, I'm sure, we'll hear nothing from it but the rhetoric that middle-aged 1970s social scientists have been spouting for decades.

"Further, only six of the Families Commission Act's 60 clauses actually pertain to families - the other 54 relate to working conditions and superannuation entitlements for Commissioners and Commission staff.

"Clearly, the families that will be advantaged most will be those of the Commissioners and staff, while not a single at-risk child will benefit from this $28 million sop to United Future.

"With the Commission's `functions' being identical to those supposedly provided by the Social Development Ministry, it is obvious that this Commission has been established to acknowledge United Future's support of Labour - not to help New Zealand families,

"This multi-million dollar buy-off of United Future is not about addressing the problems facing families today - if it were, the $28 million in taxpayer funding would be directly spent on health, education or welfare considerations of at-risk children," Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media