About a dozen protesters from the Secular Education Network (SEN) picketed outside the High Court at Auckland on Thursday in support of the McClintock family. A SEN spokesperson, David Hine, said the group of protesters included atheists who wanted no religion to be taught in state schools, as well as religious people who believed all Read more
People are saying loud and clear that they want the census to keep asking about religion. Statistics New Zealand says that the results from the first two weeks of an online discussion forum showed most people supported keeping religious affiliation questions in the 2018 census. For the first time, New Zealanders have been encouraged to go Read more
The Justice and Peace Commission for the Catholic Diocese of Auckland says that Thursday’s Budget offers welcome relief to vulnerable families. They have welcomed in particular the 2016 increases in family benefit rates and Working for Families payments for low income families. They also are pleased that money has been set aside for planting new Read more
The Children’s Commissioner wants a rethink of universal services such as pensions and free children’s healthcare so more public spending can go to the neediest families. The commissioner, Hastings children’s doctor Russell Wills, hoped the Budget to start a national “conversation” about how to use limited public spending to best effect. “We need all taxpayers’ Read more
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the number of refugees who are allowed to settle here should be greatly increased. The Northland MP, who is well known for his opposition to current immigration levels, believes New Zealand’s refugee quota should be increased by at least a third. There is currently an annual limit of Read more
A former Hunter Valley Catholic brother extradited from New Zealand to face child sexual abuse charges has had his case adjourned to allow for ongoing negotiations. Bernard Kevin McGrath, 67, is facing 252 child sex offences relating to 35 victims and dating back to the 1970s. McGrath’s case was mentioned briefly in Newcastle Local Court Read more
Chief executive of the Catholic Education Office in New Zealand, Brother Sir Patrick Lynch, said his office has opened discussions with the Government about funding to assess and remediate earthquake prone Catholic schools. The Catholic Education Office is responsible for 340 schools throughout the country. The Minister of Building and Housing Nick Smith has proposed Read more
On Thursday, the Churches Education Commission (CEC) will launch a legal challenge to be allowed to give evidence in a dispute between a family who believe their daughter was segregated and humiliated after opting out of religious studies, and a Whangaparaoa school. The lawyer representing the McClintock family, Richard Francois, is also seeking to repeal Read more
Things may not be as rosy as they say in God’s own country. A Canterbury Community Law (CCL) investigation, which looked at access to justice for beneficiaries, says beneficiaries felt they were treated as “non-humans” by Work and Income – not even allowed access to toilets during lengthy waits at offices. “Beneficiaries are uniformly scared stiff Read more
There needs to be a shake-up in the charity sector to ensure greater transparency and remove the tax advantages enjoyed by for-profit arms of large charity groups, public policy think-tank The New Zealand Initiative says. The organisation’s latest report, Giving Charities a Helping Hand, analysed over a decade of regulatory change in the sector. It Read more