Labour's latest dastardly plan is to disband the Families Commission and replace it with a Ministry for Children, because as they say, children are the most vulnerable in our community. Well, yes they are, 18000 of them are murdered every year in our public hospitals before they are even born. I don't think Annette King was talking about those children, however.
The Families Commission is useless, so I won't be surprised if it gets wiped out in the future. But, I'm not sure what it's potential replace, a Ministry for Children is actually supposed to do beyond working out how to take over even more from parents. We be rest assured, however, that if Labour ever come back into power, all will be revealed in due course. Especially once such a ministry is set up.
On Kiwiblog, I said that this was a further step in the nationalisation of children, and suggested if there was a real concern for children, then maybe a Ministry of Marriage would be more appropriate.
Maybe such a ministry could do is research on marriage and advertise to encourage marriage rather than the more casual relationships that seem to be more and more the norm now. I'm thinking, advertisements such as those we currently get on TV that advertise drink driving could be slightly modified to show what goes horribly wrong if you live with a man or a woman, have children, but never get married, or get married after living together as many people do. We need an intolerance to unmarried relationships again, because children really suffer, especially those 18000 murdered unborn babies.
I would also expect a Ministry of Marriage to work out incentives for marriage. Maybe they could promote income-splitting, for example. Give a tax benefit to those who are marriage in recognition of the fact that they and their children will be less of burden upon society than the indiscriminate bed-hoppers.
I've only really just thought of this idea, and when it comes down to it, I don't think a government ministry would really do a good job because governments are so easily taken over by those of different ideological persuasions. Maybe a marriage charity would be better.
Though, even the Government trying to encourage marriage through a Ministry of Marriage would be better than a Ministry of Children. The primary focus of improving children's lives ought to be directed towards the people who should be doing the caring, not working out more and more ways to treat children as separate entities that just belong to the State. Because the State can never love, and that is what children need most of all.
Related links:
Southland Times on Ministry for Children ~ Kiwiblog
Labour proposes Children's Ministry ~ The Dominion Post
The Families Commission is useless, so I won't be surprised if it gets wiped out in the future. But, I'm not sure what it's potential replace, a Ministry for Children is actually supposed to do beyond working out how to take over even more from parents. We be rest assured, however, that if Labour ever come back into power, all will be revealed in due course. Especially once such a ministry is set up.
On Kiwiblog, I said that this was a further step in the nationalisation of children, and suggested if there was a real concern for children, then maybe a Ministry of Marriage would be more appropriate.
Maybe such a ministry could do is research on marriage and advertise to encourage marriage rather than the more casual relationships that seem to be more and more the norm now. I'm thinking, advertisements such as those we currently get on TV that advertise drink driving could be slightly modified to show what goes horribly wrong if you live with a man or a woman, have children, but never get married, or get married after living together as many people do. We need an intolerance to unmarried relationships again, because children really suffer, especially those 18000 murdered unborn babies.
I would also expect a Ministry of Marriage to work out incentives for marriage. Maybe they could promote income-splitting, for example. Give a tax benefit to those who are marriage in recognition of the fact that they and their children will be less of burden upon society than the indiscriminate bed-hoppers.
I've only really just thought of this idea, and when it comes down to it, I don't think a government ministry would really do a good job because governments are so easily taken over by those of different ideological persuasions. Maybe a marriage charity would be better.
Though, even the Government trying to encourage marriage through a Ministry of Marriage would be better than a Ministry of Children. The primary focus of improving children's lives ought to be directed towards the people who should be doing the caring, not working out more and more ways to treat children as separate entities that just belong to the State. Because the State can never love, and that is what children need most of all.
Related links:
Southland Times on Ministry for Children ~ Kiwiblog
Labour proposes Children's Ministry ~ The Dominion Post
WE don't need a Ministry of Marriage, we don't need a Ministry of Children.
ReplyDeleteWE do need a culture shift where the family based upon marriage is central.
Start by getting rid of No fault divorce, civil unions, providing tax incentives for married couples with children. incentives unavailable to the cohabiting.
It will never happen though
Agreed Andrei.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime we raise our own children with the right worldview and they'll do better [than others]. For evidence I only have to look at the contributors to this blog. Never a breath of stale air round here.