McBlog by Bob McCoskrie

The mother of a just-turned-17 year old who died alone in 'emergency accommodation' says it appeared there was "wilful blindness" on the part of professionals in health, education and social welfare, who were so focused on affirming her daughter's transgender identity, but did not pay the same attention to the eating disorder which would kill her. This story is just one of many that we have heard – of the chilling effect and the harm that this ideology and the ‘conversion therapy’ ban is doing to young people, to families and parents, and to counsellors and pastors who want the very best for people.

New Testament theologian NT Wright has held a variety of both academic and chaplaincy posts at Oxford, Cambridge, and McGill University, Montreal. He was Canon of Westminster in 2000, before serving as Bishop of Durham between 2003-2010. He is currently Research Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Mary’s College in the University of St Andrews and Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. But in his latest podcast, he has confused the pro-life issue, and it needs to be corrected.

There’s a new book on the shelves - a memoir from former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – entitled “A Different Kind of Power”. There has been no shortage of coverage from certain major news outlets in both NZ & overseas. This episode of McBlog is not focusing on the author and her responses in the various interviews (which you may be relieved to hear). What we are going to examine and call out is the woeful lovefest from the so-called news media which is supposed to be the 'fourth estate' – but now is predominantly a cheerleader for the left. Their interviewing of Jacinda Ardern proved just how pathetic they have become. It will also show why Mike Hosking, Heather du Plessis-Allen, Sean Plunket and FOX News never stood a chance of being granted an interview.#familyfirst #familyfirstnz #mcblog

This week there’s the so-called ‘Pride’ week in schools – ‘pride’ in extreme sexuality indoctrination and gender confusion – and there’s also Samoan Language week – celebrating a culture. We can learn the words and greetings that are important to Samoans in their language OR we can indoctrinate ourselves with terms such as asexual, bisexual, cisgender, heteronormativity, intersex, non-binary, pansexual, sex assigned at birth, transitioning, transsexual. Not really a tough choice, is it.

A new research report published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research charts new findings in how divorce is not a temporary bump in the road for children. It has long-term, negative effects far into adulthood. This is not a new finding overall, but this important new study does chart some important new ground. We speak to Glenn Stanton, director of Global Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, about this new study.

Have you heard about the terrorist group comprising those who hold a 'traditional' view of wives as mothers and homemakers, focusing on raising children. They’re called tradwives. But the cultural left & the media are very concerned about tradwives. Even Jacinda Ardern’s Christchurch Call expressed concerns about this terrorist group of women – and a couple of months ago the NZ Herald really panicked about it. So much so that they even did a podcast on it. For some light humour, we’re gonna to have a listen to some excerpts.

The five-year review of Jacinda Ardern’s radical extreme abortion law which opened the door to late term abortions was quietly released by the Ministry of Health last month. It’s unapologetically pro-abortion. It celebrates more abortion – not less. It refuses to acknowledge the risks and harms to the women. It makes no recognition of the unborn child – despite other health messages which encourage women to consider the health of the unborn child such as drug use, alcohol use during pregnancy etc. There is no consideration of the benefits of reducing abortions. We do not have a Ministry of Health. It’s a Ministry of Ideas. Dangerous ideas.

An op-ed in the New York Times and reprinted in the NZ Herald this week points to a cultural tipping point. Those who argued that pornography did no harm are now admitting that conservative Christians were probably right. The radical left and libertarians are only now connecting the dots between the role that pornography plays and the harm that it does to attitudes and actions.

UNICEF have released their latest report card on the wellbeing of children and it surveys 43 countries that are members of the European Union (EU) and/or the OECD – high-income countries. Our suicide rate is the highest - almost three times higher than the average for high-income countries. We have the second-worst rate of bullying. Our teens have the 6th lowest rate of 'life satisfaction'. The problem with UNICEF and these reports is that they can identify the problem. That’s the easy part. They just can’t – or won’t – point to the obvious and time-tested solutions. But we will.

One of our longest serving politicians and current Deputy Prime Minister says that our House of Representatives has become a "House of Chaos" due to bad language and bad behaviour. Has this been a recent trend - and can the standard be raised again. We speak to Winston Peters.

We talk to Simon O'Connor about his recent trip to Israel and the Gaza border, including the sites he visited, the people he met, the experiences he heard, and the emotions that he felt during his short visit there.

Virtue signaling, being woke and adhering to diversity equity and inclusion is exhausting. Not only for those trying to meet the expectations, but for the rest of us normal people trying to understand it and trying to figure out why those who shout about “diversity and inclusion” are often the worst at demonstrating both of those. And there were two classic examples last week in the UK.

We speak to Australian commentator Lyle Shelton, National Director of the Family First political party, who breaks down the vote and the implications of the weekend's shock poll result. We also hear comments from political commentator Dr Stephen Chavura from Campion College. Where to from here for Australia.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a major new report urging exploratory therapy for youth with gender dysphoria rather than the chemicalisation and surgical intervention approach. We back up the findings of this report with previous research and analysis. It’s yet another nail in the coffin of the destructive ideology of transing kids.

We speak to our correspondent Wendy Francis about some of the issues (including the controversial moral issues) that Australian voters are thinking about as they head to the polling booth this weekend, & some of the topics which the politicians and media have made off-limits. You may not be surprised by what they are!

Everybody is saying it. The phrase that everyone is using. Well, everyone mainly on the left and the news media is using. We don’t want “imported culture wars”. It’s designed to shut down any debate on the destruction of the nuclear family or moral or Christian ethics and Truth. Any opposition to the radical gender ideology and hedonistic & radical sexuality agenda. The problem is that those saying they don’t want it – these so-called “imported culture wars” - are actually the most guilty of doing exactly that. With the finger they’re pointing at you, there’s three pointing back at them.

NZ First has submitted a Member's Bill for the term 'woman' to be defined in law as "an adult human biological female". We speak to Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of NZ First Winston Peters about his ‘war on woke’, including DEI and the RSE curriculum. We even critique Chloe Swarbrick’s response to the new bill defining 'woman'!

The Ministry of Education have published proposed guidelines to replace the previous explicit, extreme and age-inappropriate 2020 guidelines that were loaded with radical sexuality, gender ideology, preferred pronouns, and also allowed for schools to hide important health information about students from their own parents! The new framework is now available for feedback and insights from concerned parents and community leaders like you. We highlight the good stuff, but also the bad stuff.

The different components of the yummy hot cross bun each tell an aspect of the Easter story.

Many parents are not aware that, while well-intentioned, Pink Shirt Day is being used by activists to indoctrinate gender theory and sexual identity of school children under the guise of anti-bullying programmes, rather than deal appropriately with the issue of school bullying which we’re all concerned about. Pink Shirt Days are predominantly and have always been about promoting an LGBT-narrative. And it’s back for another year. Here’s another reminder why you should avoid it.

There’s a new report that’s just been released which measures how much NZers trust the news media. Despite the media spin you will read, the report makes grim reading. As you hear this latest data, ask yourself - What other industry would not be hugely embarrassed by these stats, and then wouldnt make significant changes rather than digging their heels in? Nobody in the media appears to be asking – why do 2 in 3 kiwis still not trust us?

New polling has been released which continues to confirm the severe lack of trust that the NZ public has in the mainstream legacy news media, despite a worldwide trend of increased trust in media. And a recent decision by the Broadcasting Standards Authority against two 6pm news bulletin stories confirms just how bad the standard of reporting in NZ has got.

It appears that the heads of Kiwibank may have been watching McBlog, because they’ve responded to accusations of wokeness – and they’ve actually confirmed just how bad it is. It’s quite an eye opener. If you thought we were over-egging the issue, you’ll see we definitely weren’t.

There’s a subtle trend towards doxxing in New Zealand – by the legacy news media. But it depends on who the person is and what they’re protesting about. And, it seems, whether the media like them or not. We show you five examples.

The government body that promotes business, innovation and employment in NZ (MBIE) is no different to MFAT (New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) when it comes to DEI and wokeness. They even have special training courses to indoctrinate you. The only problem is that they’re failing at their own wokeness.

Have you heard of GoodSpace? And also the HEEADSSS Assessment. GoodSpace Schools is presented as a schoolwide support system that “empowers school teams to create positive environments where every student can overcome wellbeing challenges and achieve their best learning outcome." But what information is GoodSpace (and HEEADSSS) asking students about, what age group, what happens to the information, and what involvement and notification do parents have in all of this. One parent is on a search to find out – and we thought we’d help.

State broadcaster TVNZ’s Seven Sharp is desperate to normalise drag queens. But it’s not what they show you that’s the problem. It’s what they don’t show you – but of course, that is their strategy. Are you falling for their sales pitch?

The government body that represents NZ to other governments & to negotiate trade agreements has become fully captive to DEI & wokeness. They even have a special dictionary just to help you be, er... woker.

The Submission made by the Human Rights Commission to the Ministry of Health team considering puberty blockers displays their hostility to families and the welfare of children.

A trope repeated by media and politicians is “gender affirmative care saves lives.” Across the legacy (but dying) media they push this narrative. But yet another study has just been released proving once again that the statement has no credibility and actually does more harm than good.

Mel and Jim Taylor have had the privilege of serving as Specialist Caregivers for Oranga Tamariki (OT) for over 23 years. During this time, they have cared for over 450 youth, primarily teenage boys, who have been placed with them, generally due to their high and complex needs. But last month, they resigned. We talk to Mel about their decision to resign.

Drag queens are desperate to get in front of children and read books to them. But who is funding all of this normalisation & indoctrination of adult entertainers who emphasise LGBT culture, adult entertainment, gender fluidity and sexuality. Sadly, it’s you!

A popular narrative is that young people are liberal and getting more liberal. And that liberals in general are very happy with themselves. What if that was fake news? And what is the effect of this so-called liberalism.

US Vice President JD Vance spoke to the 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last week, and he addressed his faith, his pro-life views and using the opportunity to counsel young men. It was refreshing to hear a conservative politician stick to his values without compromise or apology.

There’s more bad news for the legacy news media which is already suffering a terminal distrust prognosis. A new survey suggests that trust in the news media is sinking to a new low. But the large survey of New Zealanders also suggests that ratepayers are also sick of funding woke things.So there’s two warnings in this episode – one for the legacy media – and one for Councils pushing leftist views.

Lyle Shelton from Australia who spoke at our Forum on the Family last year has spent the past five years defending a blog where he wrote that sexualised and gender-fluid drag queens are dangerous role models for children. We completely agree with Lyle. His case was back in court this week – the Queensland Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal - with a new accusation of “cissexism”.

What does a woke DEI company look like, and what are they obsessed with? It’s definitely not focused on the customer. The staff will be okay though – as long as they play along.

If you’re a sportsperson, when can you opt out of the celebration of LGBT genders & sexualities and not have to wear and virtue-signal with special armbands? The answer depends on an important question - which god.

Here's the latest developments with a classic Disney movie that is likely to be destroyed by wokesters when it’s finally released in a month or two, and there’s another movie that proves that movie makers and Hollywood are focused purely on indoctrination – not entertainment. But you’d probably already figured that out.

The Ministry of Education, Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (formerly Family Planning) & InsideOut are ignoring the government and still pushing their indoctrination in some schools. Are they in your child's school still? Check!

The likely next Canadian PM is a master at showing how to deal with news media who aren't interested in asking questions on behalf of the viewer but are more interested in pushing their own narrative. It also happens here in NZ. We look at some examples from Poilievre and also ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and then we give you a test to see how well you would do.

Over the break, there were a number of farewells, resignations & sackings. And they were all excellent. January was not just a "good day" but a "good month"!

DEI has been about simply ramming down and enforcing left-wing viewpoints and ideologies rather than delivering good services and products and rewarding effort and excellence. But there has been a cultural tipping point - finally.

According to the NZ Herald, "nine in 10 Kiwi kids endure trauma by age 8 - new research". But the media’s hysterical coverage of the latest research on families is a manufactured crisis. The academics have done nothing to help their cause either.

We all knew that the media would really struggle on the 20th January 2025 to remain impartial and report the facts around the Inauguration of the President. Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is difficult to manage – but it’s so easy to observe. Here’s just four examples from the first 12 hours of the Trump presidency - in order of stupid to stupider to downright idiotic.

The NZ media is facing further criticism about its bias - but interestingly, it's coming from its own senior journalists.

According to a Ministry of Health report released today, abortions have increased 23% since Jacinda’s ‘kind’ law was passed. And there was a 67% increase in late term abortions between 2021 and 2023. 45 children per day are killed in the womb in New Zealand. Anybody who has viewed the ultrasound of an unborn child will know that abortion is a gross abuse of human rights. It worked in the 70s but it’s flat earth science now. We’ve seen the ultrasounds. We’ve seen the foetal development. To support abortion, you have to park your conscience and science in a deep dark vault.

The Education Review Office (ERO) wants to treat parental input as ‘hostile’ when it comes to sexuality and gender indoctrination in schools, including primary schools. You need to treat the ERO as hostile. We take a deep dive into their report released this week (including some of their downright misleading statements), and explain what you need to do to protect your children.

Wow – what a difference a COVID report makes which is allowed to examine both sides without being pilloried by the media, by the politicians, by the cultural elite. Suddenly the media are asking the right questions and thinking about both sides of the debate. Suddenly the politicians are starting to acknowledge the diversity of opinion and views on this issue, and that they were valid. But that still didn’t stop the then-Minister of COVID Response Chris Hipkins still telling some 'porkies' last week.

It depends on who's speaking - and whether the legacy media and political left agree with them. We examine the reaction to TJ Perenara's haka compared with Israel Folau's personal social media post. There's quite a contrast in the reaction from the cultural left.