Concerned citizens keep vigil outside Family Planning conference in Wellington
A group of concerned people have been keeping a peaceful vigil since Thursday outside the Family Planning conference
being held at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa.
The vigil which is organised by Family Life International NZ began on Thursday, the day the Family Planning conference
began. It will conclude on Saturday. The vigil is being held for three hours each day from 10:00am until 1:00pm.
The Family Planning conference is on “positive sexual health”, a title which belies the organisation’s true agenda.
Family Life International NZ decided to hold the vigil after discovering that Cecile Richards, President of the Planned
Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) would be keynoting at the event.
Planned Parenthood has come under fire in the US for numerous scandals and in the past year has closed over 24 of its
clinics. Under Richards watch over 300,000 abortions are performed in Planned Parenthood clinics every year.
Family Planning appears to be moving towards a similar model to Planned Parenthood, having been successful in gaining a
license to perform abortions at their Tauranga clinic.
“Abortion is linked to both physical and psychological problems” said Clare McClean, co-ordinator of the Wellington
branch of Family Life International NZ. “We are here because we care about New Zealand’s women and children.”
Those present at the vigil are extremely concerned about Family Planning’s intentions and are disturbed that the tax
payer contributed $12.1 million to their income in the year ended June 2013.
Sexuality education is also on the conference agenda. One address is entitled “Let’s start at the beginning! Sexuality
Education for Year 1-4 students”.
“New Zealand has to ask itself what sort of health education we want for our young.” McClean posited.
“Do we want to guard their natural modesty or break it down so they can move into a promiscuous lifestyle? Do we want
them to know that true love involves responsibility or mislead them into thinking it’s just about emotions? Do we want
them to respect themselves and others or do we want them to view others as objects to be used?”
Although only some people are able to physically attend the vigil, there are a large number of people throughout New
Zealand who share the Family Life International's concern and support the group’s effort.
A fact sheet about the Family Planning conference can be downloaded here.
ENDS