Labour Agenda To Damage New Zealand

ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman last night predicted to the Hornby Rotary Club that the Labour Government's social policy agenda would damage New Zealand.

"Under a guise of compassion, Labour has not only softened welfare laws - making it easier to get on welfare and stay on - but it is now busy undermining the family," Dr Newman said.

"With two new family law Bills in front of Parliament - the Bill to set up a Family Commission and the Guardianship Act replacement - Labour clearly intends to replace the married family in our statutes with `family diversity'.

"But, by lessening marriage's status, and promoting other family types - sole parents, cohabiting and same sex relationships - Labour is sending a signal that marriage is neither special nor important. This is despite overwhelming evidence that children in traditional married families generally do better.

"Labour is creating a lose-lose situation: welfare-dependent families have limited opportunities and cannot aspire to the goals and successes that should be theirs. Taxpayers lose because these families cannot contribute to the country's progress - the country loses as children raised on welfare often suffer disadvantage and fail to achieve their potential.

"Further, by undermining marriage and the traditional family, Labour erodes social stability. While it is important to acknowledge that many families suffering setbacks successfully raise their children, research overwhelmingly shows that children in unstable family environments are more likely to be abused or neglected, suffer from poor health or educational failure, and become the victims - or perpetrators - of crime.

"I would urge anyone concerned about the future of children, families and society as a whole to look into Labour's social policy agenda. While submissions to the Family Commission Bill have now closed, submissions to the Care of Children Bill do not close until September 25. A copy of the Bill is available at www.act.org.nz (http://www.act.org.nz/) - I recommend that anyone interested put in a submission on this important legislation and demand to be heard," Dr Newman said.

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