ONE News 6 May 2013
A charities board says it made a decision to remove Family First New Zealand from the national Charities Register because it no longer meets the requirements of a charity. Family First NZ said it had received notification that the independent Charities Registration Board (formerly known as the Charities Commission) intends to deregister the charity, citing Family First’s traditional view of marriage being one man and one woman as one of the reasons for the deregistration. The general manager of Charities Services, Brendon Ward said today that at a recent meeting of the board “the members determined that Family First’s purpose did not meet the charitable purpose recognised in New Zealand law and set out in the Charities Act 2005”. “The Board’s position is that Family First’s main purpose is to promote particular points of view about family life. Under the Act promotion of a controversial point of view is a political purpose.” He said in doing so “Family First does not advance religion or education, nor promote a benefit to all New Zealanders as determined by the Act“. “Family First maintains that it is beneficial to the public that it promotes debate and discussion of different points of view on family life. However, the current legal position is that promoting debate on particular points of view is not a charitable purpose.” Family First now has 20 working days to appeal the board’s decision to the High Court
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/family-first-set-lose-charity-status-5429575
Family First set to lose charity status
