Thursday 13 May 2004

For immediate release

Destiny NZ - "Government Confused over Family Form"

Political party Destiny New Zealand is presenting an overview of its policies in Wellington at a public meeting this Saturday.

Party leader Richard Lewis will outline some of the party's key policies moving toward the next election, including its dedicated 'Family' policy. Destiny NZ is the only political party with a clear definition of the term 'family'.

"Our major concern today is that our society is under threat from a Labour-led government determined to redefine the design, role and function of families in our society," says Lewis. "Pending legislation such as the Civil Union and 'Omnibus' Bills, will effectively legislate same-sex marriage while undermining the proven, universal form of marriage (between a man and a woman). This demonstrates the lengths to which this government will go to impose the 'wants' of an extreme minority on our society."

"There are some absolutes in life, and one of them is that a child needs both their biological parents. We are experiencing the tragic consequences of broken and fatherless families at every level in our communities. From youth crime, drug and alcohol abuse and poor educational attainment to the alarming rise in sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies."

Lewis says statistics from around the world show that children growing up in a family with both their biological parents are better off in terms of health, educational attainment, work ethics, income and lifetime wealth. They are also less prone to crime, drug addiction, divorce, unemployment, illness, truancy, suicide, poverty and depression.

"This is no coincidence and sooner or later this government has to wake up to the fact that family 'form' does matter. A marriage between a man and a woman is the cornerstone of the family, and the family is the cornerstone of society. This 'natural' family dynamic holds the key to empowering individuals, families and our nation. New Zealand simply cannot afford to be subjected to another term of social re-engineering by an anti-family government that is ignorant to the pivotal role that families play in our society", he says.

"Destiny NZ understands that there are many single-parent families in our society and will do everything to support these. However, it is important for our next generation, that we as a nation raise the bar and uphold the ideal standard instead of normalising family breakdown."

Destiny New Zealand's Wellington meeting starts at 7pm on Saturday 15 May at Wellington High School, 249 Taranaki Street, Mt Cook, Wellington.

For more information please visit www.destinynz.org.nz

ENDS

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