McBlog by Bob McCoskrie

Marama Davidson, who is also Green Party co-leader, is facing flak from political opponents. They’re calling for her to resign after making comments on Saturday when questioned at a trans rights rally in Auckland, which acted as a counter-protest to a speaking event by British activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull - also known as “Posie Parker”. She says she didn’t quite mean what she said. Nope – she meant it, because she believes it.

Violence instead of Free Speech in NZ. British gender activist Posie Parker has left New Zealand, calling it the ‘worst place for women she has ever visited’. She left her rally at Albert Park in Auckland on Saturday without speaking, after being overwhelmed by thousands of heckling counter-protesters who broke the barriers, doused her with tomato juice, and the mob then hounding the event out of a public space. It was a sad day for free speech, and an atrocious day for women who simply want to stand up for their rights. We talk to free speech advocate and supporter of Speak Up For Women Ani O’Brien who was at the event at Albert Park.

Josh Alexander, a 16-year-old student at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Canada, was suspended recently for expressing objections to the school’s transgender bathroom policy which allows males identifying as transgender girls to use bathrooms designated for females. It’s not the first case where a religious school has lost sight of their founding document and ended up penalising their own.

A new report has reviewed the news media’s coverage of one of the most significant events in 2022 – the Parliament Protest - which lasted almost four weeks. Whatever your view of the merits of the protest, what the analysis found probably won’t surprise you – but it should concern you.

Back in 2013, we alerted you to the book "Into The River" that had won the prestigious New Zealand Post Children’s Book Award – a book, according to the NZ Herald, laced with detailed descriptions of sex acts, the coarsest language and scenes of drug-taking. And then more recently, the book in the primary school library "How do you make a baby" by Anna Fiske which had explicit & offensive images also. There's more recent examples of books that you probably don't want in the school library. Have you checked what's on the shelves at your child's school?

The $2.2m taxpayer-funded complaints centre set up by the Human Rights Commission for receiving complaints about ‘conversion therapy’ has admitted that there have been no formal complaints about ‘conversion therapy’ since the new law was passed, despite significant advertising about its services. In fact, there weren't any for the 10 years before the law either. This is a law looking for a problem that doesn't exist. But we all knew that.

TVNZ’s 1News reported that a Northland christian school is closing down because it can’t practice ‘conversion therapy’. We do a Fact-Check and speak to the Chair of the Proprietors (church) that oversees the school to find out the real story.

Dave Chapelle and Chris Rock are two very well known comedians – and they’ve both had Netflix Specials. Both of them have accidentally told the truth about abortion to a worldwide audience. They’re trying to be funny about the issue – but in the process, they tell it for what it truly is.

The Oxford Union is the world's most prestigious debating society, with an unparalleled reputation for bringing international guests and speakers to Oxford. Since 1823, the Union has been promoting debate and discussion not just in Oxford University, but across the globe. A recent debate was “Should Christianity allow gay marriage?" One of the speeches went viral - by a person who was recently blocked from becoming a priest in the Church of England because of his views on marriage, wokeness, BLM and critical theory.

In an excellent presentation from new website commonroomnz.com, Aaron Ironside - an experienced broadcaster - shares his experience of being a spokesperson for the No side during the 2020 cannabis referendum debate. He expected the news media to report both sides of the debate evenly and let the public make up their minds. What he experienced was the complete opposite. It's a fascinating insight as to what happened during the lead-up to the Referendum.

During the marriage redefinition debate in 2013, we argued that if marriage is redefined once, what is to stop it being redefined again? Allowing only same-sex marriage on the basis of love and human rights would then open the door for those arguing for polygamous and group marriage. Why would 'discrimination' against these loving adults be okay? At the weekend the Herald on Sunday proved our point right with a very long exposé entitled "The truth about life in a throuple: ‘You can love more than one person’". They even argue that threesomes could be a cure for infidelity!

How can we celebrate "International Women's Day" today when it can't be defined correctly. If you define a woman biologically – an adult human female – you immediately destroy gender ideology. And because gender theory is not rooted in reality but in ideology, it trips up at the most basic question. What is a woman?

At the end of 2021, biology got voted out of parliament. Every party in Parliament (yes - even National & ACT) voted for a law that renders birth certificates as meaningless and which continues the relentless push to nullify biological sex and the scientific accuracy of male and female. But for some reason, Maori 'identifying' as Tahine, Whakawahine and Whakatane won't be allowed. But doesn't self-identification mean that there are no limits on the terminology? There's already 112 genders - apparently. Why not more?

The good news late last year was that the 'Mates & Dates' programme in schools, which had been indoctrinating harmful and confusing gender fluidity and sexuality ideology into our schools for far too long, was scrapped. But now there’s a new show in town – called 'In Your Skin'. It’s a programme developed by two sexologists from Australia. We’ve investigated some of its content and ideology. Once again, parents should be concerned.

At the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) riots in downtown Chicago, Juan Riesco, co-owner of Nini’s Deli, was pressured to proclaim support of BLM. But Juan is a Christian and could not endorse the anti-Christian anti-family pro-abortion beliefs of the Black Lives Matter organisation. He did believe black people, as well as all people, mattered to God. What happened next will amaze you - but hopefully also encourage you to be as bold as Juan, no matter the cost. 

We check out another documentary just released on the medical ethics of the so-called 'gender-affirming care'. Its called "AFFIRMATION GENERATION". It’s a powerful documentary that gives voice to detransitioners and medical professionals that are pushing back on transgender ideology and the harm it's doing to our young people, and to our culture at large.

Census forms arrived to most kiwis this week. Before you fill out the form, you need to figure out your sex at birth - and then your gender. Apparently... they’re totally different. The census is an exercise in radical gender ideology by Stats NZ.

Last year we reported to you that Washington University IT department had joined other university IT departments around the country to replace racist, sexist, ageist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise non-inclusive language. Stanford University has now joined the woke brigade, Their list of banned words came out last May but in December, after the index came to light on social media, Stanford hid it from public view. We got a hold of the list – hope you have your pen handy.

Has Disney lost its way? Many Disney fans have noticed a sharp increase in the company’s political and social activism. A new documentary by the Catholic League reveals how Disney pushes an activist agenda and sexual ideology through children’s movies, cartoons and public political battles.

Family First has just released a new report which calculates that the fiscal cost to the taxpayer of family breakdown and decreasing marriage rates has been estimated at around $2 billion (around $520 per taxpayer) in 2020-2021. The cost has doubled since 2008-9 when the fiscal cost was just $1 billion or $300 per taxpayer. Over the last twelve years the total cost would be in the order of $21 billion. So not only does family breakdown impact adults and children both emotionally and financially, but it also costs taxpayers in helping repair the breakdown. Perhaps we should invest in strengthening marriages and families.

The Associated Press (or AP as you will see on many articles in mainstream media in NZ) is a global news organisation, and is also notably the stylebook used by many news outlets, and it influences how many journalists choose to word and frame various issues. The Associated Press recently put out updated abortion guidelines – called an “Abortion Topical Guide” for journalists — guidance which pro-lifers say “demonstrates even further the extent of the media’s bias in favour of abortion.” You will see how they want to change the language to manipulate the narrative.

It’s pretty clear to most people that if you have a Christian faith and hold biblical values – especially around marriage, abortion and sexuality, you are public enemy #1 and must be shut down. It's no longer possible to sit on the fence and expect reasonableness and tolerance. The new religion of "Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DIE)" only goes in one direction – and it’s definitely not in yours and mine. Here's three recent examples.

Matthew Grech, a christian charity worker in Malta, faces potential fines and imprisonment for allegedly falling afoul of his country's ban on "conversion practices" when he explained to a local media outlet last year how he left homosexuality behind because he came to believe it was wrong. Matthew’s case and the actions of Malta (which NZ's law was partly modelled on) are exactly what the activists want – and you’re dreaming if you think that this won’t happen in NZ. But as our speaker from last year’s Forum on the Family Joe Dallas said, you can ban “conversion therapy” but you’ll never be able to ban conversion.

One of the disturbing aspects around the whole gender identity debate and the push for gender affirming treatment for young people – i.e. puberty blockers, wrong sex hormones and the castration of healthy body parts – is that no dissent is allowed. Even medical professionals are scared to speak up. That was admitted in an article in the NZ Listener last September by Charlotte Paul, emeritus professor in the Department of Preventative and Social Medicine at the University of Otago. But a whistle blower in the US has now spoken out. It’s an article which is unlikely to be reprinted in our mainstream media – so we'll share it with you.

Last November we highlighted a case from Canada where a popular fashion brand Simons posted a video entitled "All Is Beauty". It tells the tale of a woman who has opted for euthanasia. It’s an attempt to normalise and even glamorise euthanasia in a country where the slippery slope is well and truly greased. BUT there’s a twist to the story which actually highlights the real danger of euthanasia. And, ironically, David Seymour also recently confirmed that danger.

The mainstream media’s focus on the liberalisation of drug laws continues. Many of them have never got over the shock that a majority of NZers voted no to legalising cannabis in the 2020 referendum. But that hasn’t stopped their campaigning, In the space of a fortnight near the end of last year, there was Radio NZ’s documentary by Guyon Espiner called “Wasted”– also shown on TVNZ. Then it was Patrick Gower on Newshub. And just before Christmas, it was TodayFM and reporter Willemena Shrimpton who joined the 'drug campaign'. We check out the latest documentary on offer.

As children prepare to return to the classroom, Family First has just released some essential reading for parents & caregivers. In fact, it could be one of the most important publications you read at the start of this term. The new Parent Guide will help you protect your children from the radical sexuality and gender indoctrination in schools.

We may all remember where we were when we heard the news on January 19 when the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unexpectedly resigned. Why was it a good day? Because a political leader who had championed and voted for a number of aspects of radical social engineering, especially against our most vulnerable - the unborn, had stepped down. But has the change of leadership changed the urgency and importance of our work?

We have some great news about the 'Mates and Dates' programme which has been indoctrinating harmful and confusing gender fluidity and sexuality ideology into our schools for far too long – but we took the blowtorch to it.

Jonah* is a 14 year old. He tells us what it's like to sit through a 'Mates & Dates' programme as the presenters extol the benefits of puberty blockers, announce their personal pronouns as "they / them", promote 72 sexualities, and instruct children that they can choose what gender they are irrespective of their genitalia. No wonder our young people are stressed!(* not his real name)

Hayley and her husband were both trained as a facilitator of the ACC 'Mates & Dates' programme. Hayley lasted one term because she quickly realised just how harmful and confusing the material was for young people. (Her husband resigned even before he got into the classroom!) Listen to her experience, and her warning to parents.

The problem with legalising assisted suicide and euthanasia is that something that was previously NOT an option is now clearly an option – it’s normalised. We show you how it's even being promoted by a Canadian fashion retailer to look wonderful. We also show you the story of a Canadian who earlier this year launched a landmark lawsuit alleging that health officials will not provide him with an assisted home care team of his choosing, instead offering, among other things, assisted suicide. He even has the audio to prove it.

Apparently we all need to determine and display our personal pronouns. If you work for a woke government service or organisation, then you’ll be pressured and maybe even mandated to state what your personal pronouns are. The only evidence that needs to be provided in order to prove that someone is non-binary and has different pronouns is... they say it. So those are the rules. Pronouns matter – except when it doesn't suit the narrative.

You’ll remember our McBlog episode last week on yet another media hit-job on Bethlehem College - a successful school with values and a waiting list for enrolments. But within a few hours of publishing, the media outlet Stuff had to make a major retraction. Since then there’s been further developments on that particular story – and last weekend the NZ Media Council had to again hand out a rebuke to Stuff on yet another hit-job on a similar issue. The actions and comments by Stuff and the judgment by Media Council will amuse, surprise, and possibly even anger you.

There were some interesting stats out last week – but for some reason the media didn’t want to know about it and definitely didn’t want to report it. But we will. Guess what - cannabis use has fallen since the Referendum Debate ended. Yep – dope smoking is on the decrease, and that’s a reason to celebrate.

The “Mates & Dates” programme in schools is an ACC programme for children 13 years up, and sold as a programme around healthy relationships, the harms of drugs and alcohol, and keeping safe together. What we’ve found is that it is linked closely to the Ministry of Education’s radical sexuality & gender ideology. We were contacted by a mum concerned by what her 13-year-old daughter told her after sitting through just one class of “Mates and Dates”.

We had 15 minutes with Rev Franklin Graham just before he preached the Gospel to a packed stadium in Auckland last weekend as part of the national "God Loves You Tour". We discuss ‘cancel’ culture, ‘progressive’ Christianity, God’s ‘inclusive’ love for everyone, standing up with boldness in the culture, sin hell grace and love, why Christians should continue to proclaim that marriage is one man one woman and life begins at conception, and we even mention the words “Donald Trump”!

We speak to Professor Paul Moon from AUT about the significant backdown by the Government over the proposed hate speech laws. What does the proposed law now mean, should we be concerned that hate speech laws may be inserted elsewhere in other laws, and where to from here?

TVNZ's Sunday programme was back with yet another anti-family narrative. This week, it was “don’t have babies – the environment can’t handle them”. Ironically, their own experts either countered that narrative, or didn’t follow their own advice! But New Zealand's disturbingly low fertility rate is an important issue about the future of NZ that we do need to talk about - but in a balanced and sensible way. Not surprisingly, Sunday programme certainly didn't do justice to that.

At the same time as the government was making noises about hate speech laws, the government state broadcaster TVNZ coincidentally featured a documentary called “Web of Chaos” funded by you - via NZ on Air, and featuring the Disinformation Project. The problem is that there is a clear underlying left wing anti-family narrative and ideology which clouds their judgement. They clearly disagree with a morally conservative or traditional Christian worldview. We show two (hilarious) clips to confirm this.

NZ has had legal assisted suicide / euthanasia for a year now, so we take a look at the latest statistics. The overseas experience in the small number of countries that allow assisted suicide is that there is an inevitable push to extend such a ‘human right’ to a greater number of people, such as those with chronic conditions, disabilities, mental illness, those simply ‘tired of life’, or even children. Just 12 months on, those calls are already being made in New Zealand.

Bethlehem College is back in the news again. Apparently – apparently - their school counselor has been accused of bullying and 'transphobia'. It’s yet another media hit-job on a successful school with values and a waiting list for enrollments. But within a few hours, the media outlet had to make a major and embarrassing retraction. We fact-check the whole article.

In a survey by Curia Market Research and commissioned by Family First NZ, 1,000 respondents were asked to name the three biggest issues that they are concerned about. However, unlike other similar polls, the respondents were given a blank sheet with no ‘suggestions’ of what might be a concern. This makes the survey unique in that there is no leading question. It is specifically what is top of mind for families in New Zealand at the moment.

We received further evidence last week of just how dangerous some schools in New Zealand are to the moral innocence of our children.We look at a book in a primary school library that was referred to us by a horrified mother of a 9-year-old daughter.Warning! This material is explicit and you may find it offensive. (But apparently it's okay for children as young as 4)

There are continued calls from drug advocates in NZ to decriminalise drugs and to adopt a ‘health approach’. We only need to look overseas to see what a social disaster it would be – Scotland, Oregon, San Francisco. The Drug Foundation recently trumpeted Vancouver as a good example. But is it? One of the most beautiful cities in North America has been beset by skyrocketing crime, violent attacks, and a crippling battle with addiction, based on a flawed ‘harm reduction’ method which ignores the harsh reality of normalising drug use.

The Midwifery Council of NZ has revised its midwifery scope of practice guidelines to entirely remove the words “woman” and “mother”, because of "the need for a radical transformation of the health system, including midwifery”. "Radical" is correct. "Biologically tone deaf" would be another description, as would "woke stupidity". But aren’t they just following the wokeness of the government’s Ministry of Health?

Have you ever thought that most newsrooms in New Zealand – radio, newspaper and television – appear to have a left wing bias? And is that a fair assessment? A new survey of kiwi journalists has the answer as to whether your assumption is correct - a report that the media themselves haven't been too keen to share. But we will....

Cat Cattinson is a singer, science enthusiast, and a detransitioned woman. If Cat had been 13 today, through the efforts of gender activists & therapists, politicians and health authorities, Cat could’ve been pushed through puberty blockers, cross sex hormones (should be called 'wrong sex hormones') and surgical operations to remove her breasts and have fake genitalia put on her body. Fortunately she didn’t. Have a listen to her story - and her warning.

The government is renewing their commitment to introducing 'hate speech' laws, It is vital that families and faith communities understand what is really at stake with these proposals. We show you an example from the UK of just how flawed and harmful these laws could become, and who they will really be targeted at. Make no mistake - political activists and special interest groups will miss the important distinction between hate-speech, and merely speech they hate, and end up using such laws as tools of political intimidation to punish opponents and shut down debate in the marketplace of ideas.

The government, pro-abortion activists and the media were very excited this week. The government has just introduced an even easier way to get abortions. Dial an 0800 number and get the abortion pills couriered. DIY abortion. Remember the slogan "safe, legal and rare". It was a big fat lie. There’s this big push for easy access to medical abortions. We explain why, and we show you what actually happens in a medical abortion.