New Zealand Conservative

Yep, according to today's NZ Herald which has the statistics for how many gay couples are in New Zealand and Australia, we just redefined a societal institution for less than 1% of the country. Here is the takeaway - Same-sex couples Australia *  1996 0.3 per cent *  2001 0.5 per cent *  2006 0.6 per cent *  2011 0.7 per cent New Zealand *  2006 0.7 per cent. And here is more of a breakdown in the numbers - Australian Census figures show that same-sex couples have increased from 0.3 per cent of all couples in 1996 to 0.7 per cent, or 33,700 couples, in the 2011 Census. New Zealand's 2006 Census found that 0.7 per cent of Kiwi couples were in same-sex relationships. In both countries, homosexual couples are younger, much better educated and better paid than heterosexual couples, although the pay differences partly reflect more heterosexual women (and some men) taking time out of paid work to bring up children. In Australia, 1.6 per cent of...

Can this Government get any worse? Probably. A bill that could see internet users have their access cut off if they repeatedly share copyright material has been passed by Parliament. The Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill, which aims to stamp out internet piracy, passed by 111 votes to 11 this morning. It was supported by all parties except the Greens and independent MPs Chris Carter and Hone Harawira. It makes me wonder if malicious targeting of problematic individuals to the Government could occur by simply pointing out that what I've posted above is a breach of copyright. Very, very worrying. Related link: Controversial internet file sharing law passed

Linley Boniface has written an opinion piece in today's Dominion Post that I actually agree with. It starts: A recent Dominion Post contained a feature so controversial that not a single member of the public interviewed was named. She then asks what this controversial topic could possibly be, listing a number of activities that you think would warrant such anonymity, before identifying the criminal act that most parents dare not admit to: leaving under 14 year olds at home, alone. Children who could possibly taking care of siblings and not a parent in sight. I always assumed it was an urban myth that parents were legally required to keep children under house arrest for the first 14 years of their lives. Apparently not. That's right, it's illegal in NZ to leave children who are under the age of 14 at home without an adult there to supervise them. Last week during the teacher's strike, many Year 9 children who could have been 13 years of age, were most likely left...