An overhaul of the Wellington Archdiocese will soon see the three Catholic Wairarapa parishes merge into a single combined parish. The three separate parishes of Masterton, Carterton and Featherston will combine to become the Catholic Parish of Wairarapa, as of February 1. The new parish will be centrally administered from Masterton, but all five Catholic Read more
New Zealand
Not criminal for a teacher to have consenting sex with 17 year old pupil
Friday, November 21st, 2014
A female teacher who allegedly had sex with two of her students cannot be prosecuted because the boys were over age and consenting – and it would be no different for a male teacher, a prominent lawyer says. The teacher resigned on Friday after allegations that she had sex with two students at St John’s Read more
Community groups fear losing grants if they speak out
Friday, November 21st, 2014
A claim has been made that community groups are being muzzled by fears that speaking out against Government policies will result in funding cuts. An organisation, which wished to remain anonymous, has told Radio New Zealand about subtle threats from a cabinet minister it refused to name. It said the fear of being punished financially Read more
NZ cannot stand aloof from suffering in Middle East – Archbishop Dew
Friday, November 21st, 2014
New Zealand cannot stand aloof from involvement in the Middle East when so many people are suffering and dying says Archbishop John Dew, President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Conference. He has written to Prime Minister John Key, offering the support of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops for the cautious and measured approach to making Read more
Pacific climate funding must prioritise the poor
Friday, November 21st, 2014Caritas supports the government’s prioritising of the Pacific for direct climate change related funding, rather than making a major contribution to the global Green Climate Fund. At the G20 summit in Australia on the weekend, Prime Minister John Key pledged $3 million to the Fund, but said New Zealand would continue to focus on the Read more
1 parent at home for first 3 years says retired family court judge
Friday, November 21st, 2014A retired judge says families need more financial support so that one parent can stay at home for the first three years of each child’s life. Graeme MacCormick, a Family Court judge for 16 years until 2005, has paid for full-page advertisements in the country’s four main newspapers yesterday and this weekend asking people to Read more
Hundreds live as slaves in NZ
Friday, November 21st, 2014New Zealand has an estimated 600 people living in some sort of slavery, according to a report by campaign group Walk Free Foundation. The anti-slavery foundation released its Global Slavery Index which said nearly 36 million people are enslaved worldwide, two-thirds of them in the Asia Pacific region. The report defined slaves as people subject to Read more
More money for integrated schools: but when?
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
When the Government makes curriculum requirements which have a capital expenditure component it covers the cost for state schools. But not for 330 integrated schools. The minster of education Hekia Parata has made a commitment to resolving this issue in the term of the present government. But she has not said how she expects to Read more
House for homeless women making a difference
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
One year after opening its doors, the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust House has become an established part of the Wellington social sector says Helen Wilson, the Trust’s the House manager. She says she is particularly proud of their new relationship with Arohata Prison, which is now a referrer to the Trust. Wilson says some of the Read more
Paul Carr RIP liked telling people he was John Paul II’s driver
Tuesday, November 18th, 2014
A well-known kaumatua, Paul Pōnui Kimiora Carr, passed away suddenly and peacefully in his home on Thursday 13 November 2014. Paul was a great story teller and had many stories to tell. One was how on one occasion, when he was working as a driver for the government, he was blessed with the honour of Read more