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Family First WINS Appeal Against Deregistration  


A Win For Freedom Of Speech & Belief In NZ

Positive news from Family First

Family First NZ has won their appeal in the Wellington Court of Appeal against deregistration from the Charities Register.

This decision is a win for the freedom of speech and belief in New Zealand. The attempt by the Charities Board to deregister Family First would have been a watershed, not just for Family First, but for the whole country.

In the High Court in Wellington in 2018, the court judgment held that Family First’s “…core purpose of promoting the traditional family unit cannot be shown to be in the public benefit in the charitable sense under the Act.” Family First did not accept the High Court’s analysis or its conclusions and appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Family First appealed this decision because of the threat it placed on us and other charities and our collective freedom to speak on behalf of our supporters in a civil society.

An overly restrictive or narrow view of what is in the public benefit is likely to be of concern to all charities, many of which have a certain emphasis or point of view. The importance of freedom of expression and open debate in a civil society are ideals every New Zealander should be defending.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT 

A The appeal is allowed. 

B The decision of the Charities Registration Board dated 21 August 2017 to remove Family First New Zealand from the Charities Register is set aside.

C There is a declaration that Family First New Zealand qualifies for registration under the Charities Act 2005.

THANK YOU!!

We take this opportunity to say thank you to the thousands of you who have contributed to our Legal Fighting Fund. It has been a very expensive fight - and it may not be over, depending on whether the charities Board decide to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

But we are so grateful for the financial support and the messages of encouragement in this fight which began way back in 2013 during the same-sex marriage debate! Thank you.

Thank you for standing with us as we stand for families in New Zealand.

Kind regards.

Bob McCoskrie
National Director