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In this issue: Repeal S 59 update -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- REPEAL OF S59 UPDATE The Select Committee has issued its report. ACYA has reviewed the recommendation and disagrees. ACYA maintains its stance, as required by the UN Committee, that the Government should ensure Section 59 of the Crimes Act is REPEALED. We share the view of the Children's Commissioner that sub sections (c) offensive and disruptive behaviour and (d) performing normal daily tasks are wide open to interpretation. The Bill should be allowed to go to 2nd reading, so that the debate can continue. For more information visit: http://www.acya.org.nz/modules/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6 WEAVING PATHWAYS TO WELLBEING Children's Commissioner is having a forum in Parnell in Auckland on 15 December at 10am to look at this major new development .http://www.occ.org.nz/ CARE OF CHILDREN ACT AND HAGUE CONVETION Sec for Justice for TJ v HJ SC 36/2006 Judgment 16 November 2006. The purpose of the Hague Convention is to discourage international child abduction and the thrust of the Convention is that the child must be sent back to the country from which it was abducted so that decisions about custody etc may be made there. The welfare of the child is not paramount and the views of the child are not decisive. The majority of judges in the High Court agreed with the Family Court that the children should be sent back to Australia although they were well settled in NZ and wanted to remain with their mother here. Chief Justice Elias disagreed and held that the welfare and best interests of the children should be of paramount importance. The issue is an important one. SUBMISSIONS NZ Curriculum We were astonished to see no reference to Treaty of Waitangi anywhere in the text. Human Rights issues are but address and we have suggested strengthening the texts. Language learning also needs further attention http://www.acya.org.nz/?t=28 Wills Bill The current text has a minimum age of 18. We have suggested lowering this age and await to see the Select Committee report. Response to draft Convention on torture report The Government is due to report to the UN Committee in January 2007. We reviewed the report. Our submission is http://www.acya.org.nz/?t=28 FIGHTING POVERTY FORUM Auckland Human Rights Network with Human Rights Commission is running a workshop in Ponsonby at 2pm on 10 December 2006. contact: Joan MacDonald 09 360 8001 or [email protected] BODY MATTERS Children and Young People's physical well being conference will be held in Dunedin on 28 June 2007. abstracts wanted by 16 February 2007. Contact [email protected] or phone 03 479 5038 BETTER PROTECTION Government has passed legislation that will allow ratification of the Optional Protocol to Convention Against Torture.
Weaving Pathways to Well Being - Children's Commissioner
Care of Children Act and Hague Convention - Supreme Court decision
Submissions
NZ Curriculum
Wills Bill
Response to draft Convention on Torture report
Fighting Poverty Forum
Body Matters - Dunedin conference June 2007
Better Protection - Optional Protocol to CAT