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Here's a quick summary of some issues we've spoken up on in the media recently. You can read the full media releases on our website. We've also added an interesting item from the US that will encourage you!
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World Congress of Families IX Declaration
Media Release 5 November 2015
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We, the delegates attending World Congress of Families IX, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, concluding this 30th of October 2015, reaffirm Article 16 section 3 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.”
We meet at a time of great challenge for individuals and families around the world. Coming from diverse religious, national, ethnic, professional and personal backgrounds, we unite at this World Congress of Families in support of two primary ideals:
First, we value every human life, life which must be respected from its beginning at conception to natural death. We commend individuals, organizations and governments who seek to strengthen protection for every human life.
Second, we believe the natural family is the fundamental unit of 
society; that it is the basis of all healthy, dynamic and sustainable civilizations. We reaffirm the definition of natural family authored by a working group of the World Congress of Families, crafted in May, 1998, in a Second Century B.C. room in the ancient city of Rome. It is informed both by Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and by the findings of social science. This definition is:
The natural family is the fundamental social unit, inscribed in human nature, and centered around the voluntary union of a man and a woman in a lifelong covenant of marriage... READ MORE
Family First Comment: It's a superb document, especially as it uses the UN's own words! 
Declining Interest for Same-Sex ‘Marriage’
Media Release 4 Nov 2015
Two years on from the definition of marriage being politically manipulated,
statistics released today show that the demand for
same-sex marriages by New Zealand residents has decreased by over 10% between the first full 12-month period and the second 12-month period (504 to 450) since the law was changed, while
traditional marriage of NZ residents has slightly increased in the same time period (19,659 up from 19,266).
The demand for same-sex marriage has been underwhelming. The politicians simply inserted a lie into the law." - Family First NZ
The overall same-sex marriage numbers have had to be boosted by overseas couples which represent almost half of the total same-sex marriages (45%), while overseas opposite-sex couples represent only 11% of traditional marriages. There have been 38,925 traditional marriages of NZ residents during the past two year period. Same-sex marriages during that time (954) represented less than 2.4% of total marriages – despite the claims of a huge demand for same-sex marriage.
READ MORE
National MPs Forced to Vote Against Conscience
Media Release 5 Nov 2015
Family First NZ is concerned that National party politicians are being ‘whipped’ on moral issues that have traditionally been conscience votes – and this has been confirmed with the
latest vote on Easter trading. Family First has released a list of National MPs who are voting against their conscience on this issue.
“We were already aware of the previous Labour government pressuring its MPs to vote for the decriminalisation of prostitution and the anti-smacking law. But the National government has been guilty of similar ‘whipping’ over the anti-smacking issue (two votes), the Sky City gambling bill, the recent attempts to ban street prostitution (7 senior National MPs voted against decriminalisation of prostitution yet now oppose banning street prostitution!), and now Easter Trading." READ MORE
What Last Night’s Election Results Prove About Social Conservatism and Voters (US)
Ryan Anderson - The Daily Signal 4 Nov 2015
Kim Davis has confounded the pollsters and propelled an underdog candidate, Matt Bevin, to victory in the Kentucky governor’s race. Nearly two-thirds of voters in Ohio have rejected marijuana. And citizens in Houston have vetoed their city council and rejected a bad policy on sexual orientation and gender identity. Conventional wisdom is that social liberalism is an electoral winner, but that’s not true. At least not in the swing states of Kentucky and Ohio, and not even in the liberal city of Houston. And definitely not last night.
There is a lesson to be learned: Conservatives can win when they refuse to be bullied by elites into silence. Making the public argument against bad policy and in support of good policy can win the day. It just did. READ MORE
Houston voters repeal transgender bathroom bill in a landslide READ MORE
Image of the week (feel free to share)
Green Party announces half of all Cabinet members would be female
Thank you for standing with us.
Bob McCoskrie
National Director
