The Society has arranged and paid for the distribution of hundreds of the books to prisoners in all NZ prisons. Within the last two weeks it dispatched 26 copies to the Otago Corrections Facility and 20 copies for distribution to the Christchurch Mens Prision.

One prison chaplain recently reported that once word is out that the books are available within the prison, they “fly off the shelf” - snapped up by prisoners seeking spiritual answers found a book that chronicles in timeless allegory the journey of a man – Pilgrim – from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City of God (Heaven).

Pilgrim’s burden of guilt and shame for his sin is lifted from him at the Cross of Christ where he finds forgiveness, God-given faith and the new joy and hope that is the fruit of a true conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ – and is accompanied by genuine repentance.

Author John Bunyan wrote the book while serving time in prison himself - a truly creative expression of his own spiritual journey – a book that is deeply and richly ingrained with the biblical insights and wisdon he gained after he became a committed believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

The Society executive wishes to thank all its members and others who have contributed so generously towards this Books for Prisoners Project. The work is ongoing and we are heartened by your support and the positive feedback we have received from those working with prisoners who have gained access to the books (Prison Fellowship, Chaplaincy Services etc).

This project in part serves to fulfill the Society’s primary charitable purpose: the promotion of the spiritual and moral welfare of society. In addition it consitutes a public benefit (i.e is beneficial to the community)  in a number of self-evident ways (e.g. education and/or rehabilitation of prisomers, relief and/or redemption of prisoners, and aiding the poor etc).

In order to be considered charitable as “any other matters beneficial to the community“, purposes must be beneficial to the community and must be within the spirit and intendment of the purposes set out in the Preamble to The Charitable Uses Act 1601 (thye Statute of Elizabeth).

The purposes must benefit the community in a way that the law regards as charitable. The Books for Prisoners Project most definately qualifies as such and has been positively commended by officials of the Charities Commission when they have met with SPCS executive members on two occasions at the Charities Commission Offices in Wellington.

Fairfax NZ News Story

“fringe conspiracy theory thinking does Mr Crow no favours. And if he seriously thinks that the council plotted against him, he’s got to be kidding.”

It caused plenty of reaction when it first arrived in town, but it will leave with barely a whimper.

In 2005 when it first came to Palmerston North, and every subsequent return, the Boobs on Bikes parade and Erotica Expo it promoted raised the hackles of people who thought it was filth, degrading to women and downright inappropriate.

It was hard to gauge whether the anger towards organiser Steve Crow’s activities was more aimed at the parade or the expo. He also had his share of supporters, who used the defence of “if you don’t like it, don’t look at it”.

Now that Mr Crow has announced that the expo and parade will no longer be in Palmerston North, you’d think that would be the end of it and both sides would move on.

Clearly, it had a lot of impact in the first few years, but the shock value and free publicity that Mr Crow and his events had simply wore off.

Marketed as something a bit risque, it ended up being something of a sad fizzer.

It had done its dash and once the money and the punters started to dwindle, it would have been an easy commercial decision for Mr Crow to make.

That didn’t stop him taking a pot shot at the city council, claiming that they should be “embarrassed and ashamed of themselves” in an online rant.

The verbal spray was because Mr Crow believed there was some kind of deliberate plan by the council to put on a number of other events the same weekend as the expo, just to make sure his event didn’t succeed.

He failed to consider that Palmerston North is actually a city where things happen and, during summer especially, there are plenty of events on when the weekend rolls around.

That fringe conspiracy theory thinking does Mr Crow no favours.

And if he seriously thinks that the council plotted against him, he’s got to be kidding.

Events run their course and just because you turn up year after year doesn’t mean you should expect the same result each time.

ONE MORE THING…

While many would be glad to see the back of the Boobs on Bike parade and associated Erotica Expo, the same can’t be said for the Lift Off Levin balloon festival….

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/6504784/Editorial-On-yer-bike-don-t-blame-council-for-flop

OPINION: It’s just as well that pornographer Steve Crow seems immune to public embarrassment, otherwise the sad and shambolic affair that was his Boobs on Bike parade and Erotica Expo in Palmerston North might have really stung.

Friday’s parade – if it can be called that – resembled a bad Monty Python sketch, with Mr Crow scrambling to find some motorbikes (“I forgot to book the hog guys so we had to borrow some bikes”), delaying the scheduled start. When things finally got underway, one of the five bare-breasted women on show missed out on a lift from a black, menacing steed and had to instead settle for the back of a dainty pink scooter.

She probably felt silly (maybe even self-conscious?) until the convoy set off and she realised that there wasn’t actually anyone lining the streets to catch a glimpse of her wares.

As the riders dodged the metaphorical tumbleweed and the women waved at bemused elderly men walking home with their groceries, the human indignity of a parade with no spectators was palpable. It was about as seductive as a sock puppet show at a church gala.

While ticket sales to the expo in the Barber Hall were still being tallied, Mr Crow didn’t sound hopeful there would be enough public support to warrant a return to Palmerston North. With only a couple of dozen stalls this year – including one selling fudge and another promoting overseas holidays – it’s a fairly safe bet the Erotica Expo won’t be back any time soon. It’s a curious change in fortune for the event, which had hundreds of people lining the streets for the parade and many more visiting the expo when it first came to Palmerston North in 2005.

For more see:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/6483649/Editorial-Crow-makes-a-boob-of-himself

Mr Crow says it’s “a sign of the times”, which is probably partly true, but it’s more than that. The event’s novelty factor, and the controversy that swirled around it all over New Zealand, has all but disappeared, and the public’s interest has gone with it. It’s perhaps a lesson for all those who ardently opposed the public parading of topless women as the unstitching of society’s moral fabric. Their outrage only hardened Mr Crow’s resolve and heightened the curiosity of people who probably would never have attended had they not been told they shouldn’t.

They eventually figured out for themselves that a few sets of naked breasts are nothing worth running out onto the footpath for, and left Mr Crow and his harem to the cold applause of an unseasonable wind. He might not be embarrassed, but his event has become an embarrassment nonetheless.

The Esplanade Day in Palmerston North yesterday was a roaring success. There were hundreds of people and dozens of stalls and activities, all combining to create a wonderful sense of community.

Source: Fairfax NZ News

The government says it will work to restore the Christian faith to the center of public life in Britain. This article from the Stonegate Institute is food for thought …………..

“We have even tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run completely counter to our values. … I believe a genuinely liberal country… believes in certain values and actively promotes them.” — David Cameron

The British government has unveiled a new “integration strategy” designed to “champion a united British identity.”

The new policy will require immigrants seeking admission to live in the United Kingdom to learn English and adhere to “mainstream” British culture and values such as democracy and the rule of law.

The measures represent a continuation of recent efforts by the government to reverse decades of state-sponsored multicultural policies that have allowed Muslim immigrants to avoid integration and establish a parallel society in Britain.

The new strategy document titled “Creating the Conditions for Integration” was published on February 21 and states: “We will robustly challenge behaviors and views which run counter to our shared values such as democracy, rule of law, equality of opportunity and treatment, freedom of speech and the rights of all men and women to live free from persecution of any kind. We will marginalize and challenge extremists who seek to undermine our society and we will neither engage with nor fund such organizations.”

The document continues: “The long-term presence of a highly diverse population is generally an indicator of good integration and a strong sense that different people get on well. But this can be undermined and even reversed by a range of factors, for example if groups within the local community work and socialize separately.”

Among a series of other measures, the government says it will reform laws on immigration and settlement by increasing the requirements on those who want to settle in Britain. Those coming to the United Kingdom to work, study or marry will be required to demonstrate an ability to speak English, and those wishing to remain permanently or seek British citizenship will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of language and life within the United Kingdom.

The new strategy also promotes the teaching of British history and culture in schools and encourages the flying of flags in public places. In addition, the government says it will work to restore the Christian faith to the center of public life in Britain.

For full article by Soeren Kern dated February 24, 2012  go to: http://www.stonegateinstitute.org/2876/britain-multiculturalism

Its stated “Mission” is “to improve the health and well being of all New Zealanders by eliminating disease and premature death due to tobacco” [Emphasis added]. Its very narrow focus on tobacco issues limits it as a charity to only engage in  activities in pursuit of promoting the adoption by the community of the Society’s particular point of view on the health issues of concern to the Society’s small number of members (the dangers of tobacco use). It seeks to focus attention on the harmful nature and consequences of tobacco use. The vast majority of New Zealanders do not smoke tobacco and probably have little knowledge of or interest in ASH’s narrow agenda.

In the financial year ending 30 June 2011, this lobby group received $592,892 in government funding and $38,400 from all other grants and sponsorship – a grand total of $631,292. It spent $475,936 on wages and salaries (employing 5  full-tme people and 2 part-timers): 66.9% of its total income of $711,101.

ASH ended its 2010/11 financial year with a deficit of $24,511 and liabilities of $96,510. It had additional income sources over the period of $40,908 (donations and membership fees). Its total expenditure was $735,612.

The ASH lobby group’s objects, taken from section 3.1 of its constitution, include:

3.1.1 To educate the public about the harmful effects of active and passive smoking on health.

3.1.2 To support and encourage relevant legislation for the benefit of the community e.g. the Smoke-free Environments Act, 1990.

3.1.3 To advocate for services to assist smokers to quit.

3.1.6. To do any other lawful acts incidental to these objects or to the progress or enhancement of the Society and its objects.

3.1.7 To use the funds of the Society to attain the objects of the Society….

Comments by SPCS

The Society fully supports the good work carried out by ASH New Zealand Inc.

Concerning Section 3.1 of ASH’s constitution it comments:

S. 3.1.1

This is a close parallel to one of the 7 objects of SPCS: S. 2(d) “To focus attention [via education and research  etc] on the harmful nature and consequences of sexual promiscuity, obscenity, pornography etc.

Critics of the two Societies – ASH and SPCS – might try to argue that because smoking, disseminating and watching hardcore pornography, engaging in promiscuity and using obsenities in a public place are all legal activities; these societies should be stripped of their charitable status because they are merely “promoting the adoption by the community of the particular points of view on moral/health issues of concern to the respective Societies.”

Such reasoning is fallacious. For example: Millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money is spent each year to fund enforcement agencies seeking to safeguard society the public from the injurious impact of pornography and smoking. Using obscenities in a public to cause offence and the viewing of pornography on a work place computer are not legal activities. The injurious nature of such activities is now written into legislation.

 Section: 3.1.2.

This clearly allows ASH to lobby for legislative changes (“political advocacy”) and engage advocacy for current legislation it supports, both of which it does regularly. In contrast SPCS does not indulge in “political advocacy” despite accusations to the contrary, It does however seek “To foster public awareness on the benefits to social, economic and moral welfare of communiy standards.”

Secton 3.13:

Clearly allows ASH to strongly advocate for services to be provided by government to help people quit smoking. This means political advocacy and lobbying is allowed for under its “charitable” objects.

If SPCS had an equivalent statement, which it does NOT, relating to porn, imagine the outcry!

To advocate for services to assist those addicted to porn to quit and those hooked on a promiscuous lifestyle to learn how to show sexual restraint. !!!

Note: It is misleading to claim that smoking, promiscuity, and porn viewing are all LEGAL activities . They are NOT within certain contexts.

It is now politically correct to advocate for and enforce smoke free work places. But this is only a very recent development following the enactment of relevant legislation following years of lobbying by groups like ASH.

What if SPCS campaigned for porn free workplaces AND sought government funding for it !! ASH receives about $600,00 dollars from government to employ five full-time and two part-time staff working for the lobby group ASH.

Section 3.1.6

This means any incidental activities that are lawful and happen to advance ASH’s goals can be deemed as legitimate charitable acts: a blanket catch-all defence based on a catch-all objective.

Section 3.17

In February 2011 SPCS added an equivalent object – s. 2(g) – to its constitution. See www.societies.govt.nz  (Inc. Soc. No. 217833).

Conclusions

The government supports lobby group ASH New Zealand Inc. to the tune of about $600,000 per year – to pursue its [ASH's] primary purpose of promoting the adoption by the community of the Society’s particular point of view on health issues (use of tobacco) of concern to the Society. Educating New Zealanders about the harmful nature of active and passive smoking on health has involved ASH in significant lobbying and political advocacy over the years leading to legislative changes.

For many New Zealanders in the Christian community in particular, the non-smoking message message advanced by ASH is in line with their values/moral viewpoint. Political advocacy plays a significsant part in all ASH activities as recognised in its objects.

Most of ASH’s gross income (i.e. 70%) for the financial year ending 30 June 2011 was spent on the wages and salaries of five full-time staff and two part-timers (total 234 hours per week).

The SPCS fully supports the good work carried out by this effective lobby group.

Family First NZ [a registered charity with the Charities Commission] is advising parents of school children in Palmerston North to be aware that there will be a public pornography parade featuring topless girls happening after children have been released from school on Friday. [It is again calling for politicians to "amend" the law "so that public porn parades and public displays of nudity are deemed offensive and indecent, and thereby illegal."]

“The Erotica [Lifestyles Expo] Promotion, also known as Boobs on Bikes, is scheduled to travel around the central city square from 4pm. This is a cynical move by the hard core porn industry to expose children and young people to the industry,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“We would advise parents to do everything they can to avoid children being exposed to this parade, and if necessary, they should keep their children at home for the day.”

Family First is disappointed that the parade is even able to happen in such a public venue but points the blame squarely at the police for not enforcing the law consistently, judges who believe that topless porn parades and nudity are not offensive, and the lack of political willpower to act in the best interests of families and children.

“Steve Crow can label it a ‘freedom of expression’ event, but to the intelligent, it is simply a cynical attempt to market and normalise the porn industry to families.”

“It is time that the rights of families not to be exposed to offensive and adult material are put before the rights of the pornography industry to promote themselves,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Family First NZ continues to call on the politicians to amend the Summary Offences Act and the Crimes Act so that public porn parades and public displays of nudity are deemed offensive and indecent, and thereby illegal.

ENDS

www.familyfirst.org.nz

Note: The licensee for staging Erotica Lifestyles Expo is Esprit Events Ltd , a company incorporated on 10 November 2011 by John Malcolm Carr CPA just days before the former licensee Eden Digital Ltd, also directed by John M Carr, was put into liquidation on 22 November. Carr is sole director of CVC Group Ltd,  which  owns Eden Digital Ltd (In Liq) and Esprit Events Ltd. On 16 September 2011 John Carr revoked the license Eden Digital held to stage Erotica. This was done on the same day he resigned as director of Eden Digital Ltd. On 11 November the license was transferred from Eden Digital Ltd to Esprit Events Ltd. CVC Group Ltd owns the trademark for “Boobs on Bikes” – used in the Erotica parade which markets Mr Carr’s hardcore porn business.

Challege Weekly reports …

ECPAT Child ALERT’s national director is concerned over the issues of name suppression for a child sex tour organiser, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment by the High Court last week.

Alan Bell also raised concerns over the fact that the 47-year old offender was charged in August 2010, over 18 months ago. “It is disturbing that this case took 18 months to bring to conclusion,” Mr Bell told Challenge Weekly. “During this time the accused was free and could hide behind name suppression. Criminal charges where the safety of children is concerned should be dealt with swifly and unless there is a child protection issue, the name should be released so that the public are aware,” he says.

Justice Edwin Wylie passed the sentence at Auckland’s High Court on February 14, stating that he hoped it would send a strong message. The man is the first person in New Zealand to be charged with organising and promoting child sex tours.

Mr Bell said the sentence was reasonable given that it was a difficult one for the judge to arrive at because there was no precedent. “He didn’t have any other cases of this nature to gauge whether this was more serious and less serious. He came out and gave a three-year sentence of a seven-year maximum. We feel thast’s reasonable in this case. There has to be provision for more serious cases that may occur in the future.”

Mr Bell also echoed the message of Justice Wylie by saying: “What we’re hoping is that this sentence will in fact send a strong message and act as a deterrent to anyone else who might be considering getting involved in this sort of activity.”

Legislation passed in 1995, which provided for New Zealand law enforcement to bring a prosecution against someone who sexually exploited children either in this country or in another country was invoked, and in this case, had elements of both.

“He was soliciting for New Zealanders to buy his tourist packsage, which was for New Zealand guys to travel to Asia, in particular Thailand. The psackage included flights and accomodation and access to the children, which is not the kind of thing we want going on,” says Mr Bell.

Article from Challenge Weekly, February 20, 2012, p 3.

Author: Gemma Margerison

A Government report calling for promotion of strictly Islamic tourism in New Zealand has been disowned by Ethnic Affairs Minister Judith Collins.

In a briefing to its incoming minister, the Office of Ethnic Affairs had called for halal tourism, along with the creation of a New Zealand constitution entrenching ethnic social rights that could include Sharia or Islamic law.

However, Ms Collins said the briefing did not reflect Government policy. “It is not a Government policy document.”

The Office of Ethnic Affairs, which costs $6 million a year to run, urged the new minister to raise awareness of halal tourism as an “emerging opportunity”. It defines halal tourism as incorporating activities and services that are in keeping with Islamic law.

Countries such as Malaysia and Turkey encouraged it by offering separate beaches, swimming pools and spas, separate aircraft seating for men and women, hotels free of alcohol, gambling and pork, and halal food and a Koran in aircraft seat pockets.

Last year the Government, as part of its deal with the Maori Party, set up a panel to consider constitutional arrangements. The briefing to Ms Collins says: “Ethnic communities are keen to discuss the development of a multicultural policy to entrench the civil, political, social and language rights of ethnic people in New Zealand.

“The potential for multicultural policy, including legislation, is gaining voice within ethnic communities, and is likely to be raised with you.”

University of Auckland constitutional law Professor Bill Hodge said special privilege for one group went against a basic principle that accident of birth should not mean privilege.

“If we are setting up Sharia and special rules for certain people, does that mean a Muslim would not be prosecuted under the Crimes Act for a second, third and fourth

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/6406555/Collins-dismisses-call-to-establish-Islamic-tourism

Dominion Post 13 February 2012. Story by Michael Field -Fairfax Media