Media Release 3 May 2019
Family First NZ says that women should have to name the father of their child, and the government is wrong to turn a blind eye to mothers who withhold this information from the state.
“Not only does the state have a right to pursue the father for his contribution to the welfare of the child, but the child has a right to know who the biological father is. Some fathers want to be involved in the life of their child and should not be excluded simply because the mother won’t name them. The state has every right and responsibility to request this information. Fathers have a responsibility – even hopeless ones,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“Nobody is forcing the mother to live with the father. This is a matter of accountability and responsibility for both the mother and the father of kiwi kids.”
“Even in the unacceptable cases of sexual violence, the man needs to be named even more so because a crime has been committed and he needs to be held to account for his actions and the outcomes. We should not enable the hiding of these crimes.”
“Ultimately it is about the care and welfare of the child, irrespective of how the mother now feels about the father. The child has a right to know who the biological father is. That means it is the state’s business.”
“The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child also states that children have the right to know his or her parents.”
ENDS
