NZ Forum On The Family 2026 – Register Now

Not to be missed – the annual NZ Forum on the Family (also Family First’s 20th Anniversary!) is bringing together some exceptional international speakers (see below). This year we’ve also got a new format, with topical panel discussions (media, political, medical) and bonus sessions. The conference will be Friday evening 11th September and all-day Saturday 12th September. There’s also a new venue at Victory Convention Centre (98 Beaumont Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1010). The conference will start Friday night at 6pm with three sessions, and then the full day on Saturday from 8.45am. There will be an informal dinner on Friday evening, while Saturday includes morning tea and lunch. On Saturday we will also be doing a special on-stage live recording of CounterCulture – our new show that explores the issues relevant to Millennials and Gen Z. We’ll debate politics, media and other current issues.

The NZ Forum on the Family also brings together a national & international network of family-focused organisations, scholars, church & community leaders and individuals who are part of a movement for social change to bring New Zealand to a place where families are strengthened, marriage is honoured, life is protected, and religious freedom is upheld. Last year this event sold out, so Register Now!

Key speakers at this year’s Forum on the Family include:

• Dr Ben Carson (USA) – Raised by a single mother, Benjamin Carson’s mother firmly believed that education and faith in the Lord were the channels that would change the course of her boys’ lives and end the cycle of poverty for her family. After graduating from Yale University, Dr. Carson earned his M.D. from the University of Michigan Medical School. For nearly 30 years, Dr. Carson served as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. In 1987, he successfully performed the first separation of craniopagus twins conjoined at the back of the head. In 2016, Dr. Carson accepted the position of Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under the Trump administration. In 2021, Dr. Carson founded the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI). [Dr Carson will be interviewed via video link]. Topic – Faith, Liberty, Community & Life – Why We Should Protect It
• Sall Grover (Australia) – After years of sexual harassment as a screenwriter in Hollywood, Sall Grover developed Giggle – an app marketed as a social space exclusively for women, offering functionality for networking, friendship, support groups, and professional collaboration. In May, in a case called Giggle v Tickle, the Australian Federal Court upheld a finding that Giggle had unlawfully discriminated against Tickle, a transgender-identifying man who tried to join the app as a woman. Sall’s case has significant implications for the legal recognition of sex-based rights in Australia but also NZ, particularly concerning the definition of “sex” in law, and the right to single-sex spaces for all. Sall has paid a huge cost – both financially but also emotionally – for simply standing for women. Now it’s our turn to stand with her! TOPIC: Giggle vs Tickle Brings A Serious Warning
• Leighton Smith (NZ) – In our view (and the view of many others) Leighton Smith has not only been a leading broadcaster in New Zealand for more than 40 years, but he has also been a strong and credible defender of conservative values in New Zealand. As part of Family First’s 20-year anniversary, we’ve asked Leighton to ask the hard questions of the boss. Leighton will interview founder Bob McCoskrie about the legacy of Family First, and what the future looks like given the current cultural changes and challenges. Topic: Family First’s 20 Years – Unmasked! Leighton Interviews Founder And CEO Bob McCoskrie
• Martyn Iles (Australia) – Between 2018–2023, Martyn was Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL). In that role, he produced a popular vlog called The Truth of It and appeared frequently in the media. Martyn cofounded the Human Rights Law Alliance (HRLA), an Australian law firm dedicated to assisting people requiring legal support in the areas of freedom of religion, conscience, and speech. Between 2023 and 2025 he was the Executive CEO at Answers in Genesis, a large Christian apologetics and education ministry well-known for its famous Ark Encounter and Creation Museum attractions. Martyn is launching a new Christian education technology platform for children and young people. Martyn previously spoke at the Forum on the Family in 2022. Topic: Why We Must (Boldly) Counter The Culture With Truth
• Dr Jillian Spencer & Dr Andrew Amos (Australia) – In 2023, Dr Jillian Spencer, a respected Queensland child and adolescent psychiatrist, was stood down from her job in 2023 and the position was terminated last September. Her only “offence” was refusing to comply with an automatic “affirmative” approach to children experiencing gender distress. Instead, she advocated for a careful, evidence-based, and holistic approach that considers each child’s broader mental health and family circumstances. Dr Andrew Amos was until recently an academic psychiatrist at James Cook University and chair of the Queensland Section of Rural Psychiatry with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, but has now been prevented from practicing clinically. Dr Amos has questioned whether “gender-affirming care” allows psychiatrists to properly assess whether mental illness may be contributing to a patient’s gender distress. Topic: Conviction, Courage, And Then ‘Cancelation’ – The Cost Of Truth

Download our Forum Poster.

Forum Registration (includes the full conference across both Friday and Saturday)

$149 Individual

$269 Married Couple

$99 Special Student Rate (with Student ID)

Cost includes dinner on Friday evening, and Morning Tea and Lunch on Saturday.

Last year this event sold out, so Register Now.

Accommodation at Quest on Beaumont

We are pleased to offer a preferential accommodation rate at Quest on Beaumont, valid Thursday 10th September to Sunday 13th September 2026. Studio @ $210.00 inc GST.  One Bedroom @ $230.00 inc GST.

Here’s some other useful websites for booking hotels in central Auckland:
Aucklandisite.com ; Booking.com ; Discover Auckland ; Tripadvisor

Directions

Victory Convention Centre
98 Beaumont Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland 1010)

For more info:

tel: 09 261 2426
email: [email protected]

Cancellation and other terms

Should you wish to cancel your registration at least 30 days before the commencement of the event, we’ll refund you in full minus a $20.00 admin fee. If you cancel within 20 days of the event, we’ll refund 50% of the purchase price. If you cancel within 7 days of the event, or do a no-show on the day of the event, you’ll be liable for the full purchase price. In the unlikely event of cancellation of the event, the liability of the organisers is limited to the return of paid fees. The organisers may alter the times, dates and speakers of this event by notice to you at any time. While we are sorry if this causes inconvenience, the organisers will not be liable for any loss, damages or sadness arising from such changes.

Read our full terms and conditions here.