Labour Refuses To Support Shared Parenting

act-new-zealand

Thu Aug 28 2003 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Labour Refuses To Support Shared Parenting

Thursday, 28 August 2003, 9:19 am
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

In Parliament today the Labour Government confirmed that it had no intention of supporting an amendment to the Care of Children Bill to introduce Shared Parenting, ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said today.

"I asked the Minister: `Does she agree that present family law is tilted so heavily against fathers that thousands of children are now totally alienated from their fathers, and if so, will she support my amendment to introduce Shared Parenting into the Care of Children Bill?' Her answer to both questions was an emphatic No'!" Dr Newman said.

"This response has not only exposed the Labour Government's double-standards, but also its duplicity, given her response to the question: `Does she agree that it is usually in the best interests and welfare of a child to have regular ongoing contact with both of its parents; if so, would she support an amendment to the Care of Children Bill to that effect?' She answered `Yes'.

"We now know that Labour has no intention of introducing Shared Parenting. Instead, the Minister intends to bring into law politically correct legislation that sounds like Shared Parenting, but will be Sole Maternal Custody - maintaining the status quo - in disguise.

"I want to apologise to the tens of thousands of children who will lose a parent through faulty and biased custody laws, and to the parents and grandparents who lose contact with their children. Right now, Parliament has the chance to change the laws that damage families and children but - thanks to Labour's feminist, anti-family ideology - it looks set to fail.

"And, at this stage, it appears United Future, the Greens, and New Zealand First will all have to accept some responsibility - unless they refuse to support the Government's attempts to pull the wool over their eyes," Dr Newman said.

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