Media Release Focus on the Family New Zealand 23 February 2017 Family First Comment: An excellent resource for every family.
The international best-selling book Good Pictures Bad Pictures is now available in New Zealand exclusively from Focus on the Family NZ.
After experiencing great success with Good Pictures Bad Pictures in their own families, the team at Focus on the Family NZ contacted the US authors and acquired the rights to publish a special New Zealand edition of the book especially for Kiwi parents.
“What makes this book such a powerful educational tool is that it provides parents with an easy and proactive way to engage with their kids about pornography, and well before most children have even had their first exposure to porn” says Focus on the Family NZ Director Wayne Mulqueen.
“There’s a reason why this is already a best-seller overseas – it really does work. We’ve used it with our kids and it’s been amazing to see how its empowered them with important insights and a practical strategy for what to do if they encounter online pornography.”
“So many of the current strategies for protecting our kids from the risks of Internet porn are reactive and focused on policing the problem, but Good Pictures Bad Pictures is different, it offers a proactive and empowering strategy for families and children” says Wayne Mulqueen.
Good Pictures Bad Pictures is an illustrated book that parents read with their children. It is written for 5 to 10 year olds, and it explains the workings of the brain, how addictions can develop, and, most importantly of all, it gives children a strategy – which includes practical steps to take – if they are confronted with pornography.
Associate Professor of Neuroscience, Dr. Donald L. Hilton, calls Good Pictures Bad Pictures ”a remarkable and timely tool to teach the neuroscience of avoiding pornography addiction in a way that kids can easily understand,” and parents are calling it “an amazing work” and “a great way to talk to children about pornography without the awkward, uncomfortable feeling.”
“Good Pictures Bad Pictures focuses on topics like respect for others and the workings of the brain, which makes it a widely accessible tool suitable for all Kiwi families” says Wayne Mulqueen.
“One of the unexpected but welcome outcomes we’ve experienced from Good Pictures Bad Pictures is that our kids now have a greater understanding of self-control in other areas of their daily life thanks to what it has taught them about how the brain shapes their behaviour and decision-making processes.”
“This book really is a powerful game changer for parents who want to take a proactive approach to combating the risks of Internet pornography in the family home” says Wayne Mulqueen.
Good Pictures Bad Pictures is available in New Zealand exclusively at: family.org.nz ENDS
On the day that Prime Minister Bill English was appointed to his new job last year, he announced that he was no longer opposed to same-sex marriage and would “vote differently now”. He had previously voted against civil unions (2004), for a bill explicitly defining marriage as one man one woman (2005), and against same-sex marriage (2013). So why the change? Here’s his response to that exact question when asked by the media….
Media Say Same-Sex Marriage Will Save 134,000 Teens Per Year From Suicide. That’s Not What The Study Says. DailyWire 22 February 2017 Family First Comment: But that doesn’t stop the NZ media from promoting flawed research and dubious conclusions… “The study itself acknowledges, “our analysis does not allow us to understand the mechanisms through which implementation of same-sex marriage policies reduced adolescent suicide attempts.” In other words, they say that they know that same-sex marriage policies impacted suicide attempts, but they didn’t know how. Well, then. They also fail to rule out some of the most basic confounds for any sociological study like this: socioeconomic status of the students themselves. Is it possible that the students are committing suicide at a lower rate because their parents are making more money, for example? Is it possible that socioeconomic status also has outsized impact on particular areas? Or how about the social acceptance of gays and lesbians without the legislative question? The study says they couldn’t check either of those confounds out: “Also, the study fails to explain why non-LGBT students would see their suicide rates also DECLINE in states that approve same-sex marriage.” Whoops! “The research data shows variability in suicide rate in states over time, as well. Why would the suicide rate drop precipitously between 2005 and 2007 among states that only legalized same-sex marriage in 2013 or 2014? The study doesn’t explain.” Double whoops! “The study acknowledges its limitations, then draws extraordinarily strong conclusions. And the media runs with it.” Now where’s the wheelie bin?
So, you’ve read the headlines today: a brand, spanking new study has found that doing away with traditional marriage laws has reduced suicide rates among gay teenagers by a whopping 14 percent in states that have embraced same-sex marriage! Here are just some of the glowing headlines:
PBS Newshour: “Same-sex marriage laws linked to fewer youth suicide attempts, new study says”
Washington Post: “Legalizing same-sex marriage was associated with fewer youth suicide attempts, new study finds”
The Guardian: “Drop in teenage suicide attempts linked to legalisation of same-sex marriage”
USA Today: “Study: Teen suicide attempts fell as same-sex marriage was legalized”
These headlines, which are just a tiny sampling of the blanket media coverage this study has received, obviously suggest that if conservatives would just drop their goldarned old fashioned opposition to same-sex marriage, kids would stop killing themselves.
The study, printed in JAMA Pediatrics, concludes that same-sex marriage policies “would be associated with more than 134,000 fewer adolescents attempting suicide each year.”
Scoop 23 February 2017 Family First Comment: Driving poverty – because we know that pokies are often targeted at low income areas and families… “Gambling expenditure increased by 2.6 per cent, from an average of $601 per person in 2015, to $616 per person in 2016.”
Gamblers in New Zealand spent $2209 million dollars on the four main forms of gambling in the 2015/16 financial year, $118 million (5.6 per cent) more than the previous year, according to figures compiled by the Department of Internal Affairs. More was spent on all forms of gambling, though casinos had the largest increase.
Adjusting for the effects of both inflation and changes to New Zealand’s population (18 years and older), we find that gambling expenditure* increased by 2.6 per cent, from an average of $601 per person in 2015, to $616 per person in 2016.
The take from TAB racing and sports betting increased 5.3 per cent from $325 million in 2015 to $342 million in 2016. This was driven by higher active customer numbers and additional fixed odds betting options. After adjusting for both inflation and changes in the adult population, expenditure on TAB racing and sports betting increased from an average of $93 per person in 2015 to $95 per person in 2016.
The take from NZ Lotteries’ product sales increased 4.0 per cent from $420 million in 2015, to $437 million in 2016. After 11 years, Lotto chose this financial year to retire the “Big Wednesday” promotion and replace it with two weekly “Powerball” draws. This allows jackpots, the size of which drives Lotto sales, to grow more quickly and reach higher amounts more consistently. NZ Lotteries has also increased its retail presence in supermarkets, at fuel sites and through expanded digital offerings. After adjusting for both inflation and changes in the adult population, expenditure on NZ Lotteries’ products increased from an average of $121 per person in 2015 to $122 per person in 2016.
The take from non-casino gaming machines increased 3.1 per cent from $818 million in 2015 to $843 million in 2016. After adjusting for both inflation and changes in the adult population, however, it appears that expenditure on non-casino gaming machines has actually remained constant at an average of $235 per person in both 2015 and 2016. This coincides with declining numbers of venues and machines.
The take from the country’s six casinos increased 11.1 per cent from $527 million in 2015 to $586 million in 2016. This increase was driven by positive macro-economic conditions, record tourism and significant improvements to casino facilities. After adjusting for both inflation and changes in the adult population, expenditure at casinos increased from an average of $151 per person in 2015 to $163 per person in 2016.
READ MORE: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1702/S00264/gamblers-spent-118-million-more-in-fy-201516.htm
