Research & Issues
The role of Family First is to promote and advance research and policies which support marriage, families, and safe communities as foundational to a strong and enduring society. Read our Research Reports and our Summary Papers on key issues.
Research & Issues

The role of Family First is to promote and advance research and policies which support marriage, families, and safe communities as foundational to a strong and enduring society. Read our Research Reports and our Summary Papers on key issues.
Research, Surveys & Key Issues
There’s no “Pride” in sexualising our children
Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa for NZ schools being held next week (12th-16th), overseen by the radical and government-funded charity InsideOUT. But there’s no “pride” in pushing radical sexuality & gender ideology on children.
ANALYSIS – Media Coverage of Parliament Protest 2022
A new report has reviewed the media coverage of the 2022 Parliament Protest, and finds that the media failed in its duty to present the Protest in a fair and balanced manner.
REPORT: The value of family, and the cost of family breakdown
A new report estimates that the fiscal cost to the taxpayer of family breakdown and decreasing marriage rates has been estimated at around $2 billion (around $520 per taxpayer) in 2020-2021.
PARENT GUIDE: The Battle For Your Child’s Innocence
As children prepare to return to the classroom, Family First has just released a Parent Guide – on how to protect your children from the state’s radical sexuality and gender ideologies in schools.
The Government pushes forward with first step of controversial ‘hate speech’ laws
Controversial “hate-speech” laws continue to be proposed by the Labour Government under the pretence of ‘the public good’.
RESEARCH – ‘Alarming’ Data on Youth Mental Health
Family First’s latest report shows that New Zealand’s youth lead the developed world in poor mental health.
SURVEY – Cost Of Living Top Concern Of Kiwis
A new nationwide survey has found the cost of living is by far the most pressing concern of New Zealanders at the moment.
RESEARCH – Measuring Father Absence in NZ
Thousands of New Zealand children struggle with having no father in their lives. A new report measures Father Absence.
ANALYSIS – NZ Media’s extreme pro-abortion bias
In-depth analysis of the media coverage of Roe v Wade found that extreme media bias (82%) to a pro-abortion narrative.
Family First v The Government (Charities Registration Board)
Here is a summary of events relating to the de-registration of Family First NZ by the Charities Board.
The ‘Eggsploitation’ of Surrogacy
The Law Commission is currently reviewing surrogacy laws in New Zealand and Family First has just sent in a submission.
ANALYSIS – Significant Media Bias During ‘Conversion Therapy’ Debate
In-depth analysis found heavily biased media coverage in favour of banning conversion therapy.
Sex education gets much more extreme
Radical gender ideologies & sex education material being recommended by the Ministry of Education, politicians and activists to be taught in schools.
RESEARCH – Relationships & Sexuality Education – An Analysis for Parents & Caregivers
The new Relationships and Sexuality Education Guidelines produced by the Ministry of Education will be very concerning to all parents and caregivers.
RESEARCH – Prostitution Law Review
An in-depth review of the effects of the 2003 prostitution law change has revealed a huge gap between the reputation of the law and its actual impact.
3 Strikes Law
Family First NZ says that the proposed scrapping of the Three Strikes Law will only be celebrated by repeat violent offenders, but it will do nothing to protect families and communities.
RESEARCH – Teen Birth Rate in NZ (2021)
Is it time to stop worrying about the teenage birth rate? Or, alternatively, do those teen mothers exhibiting the greatest risk as parents persist as a subset and grow as a proportion?
Birth Certificates – Biology or Ideology
The Government is changing the law around birth certificates, which will deem them meaningless, and which will continue its pushing of confusing ‘gender ideology’.
Banning ‘conversion therapy’ – criminalising parents, carers and counsellors
Banning ‘conversion therapy’ is effectively criminalising parents, carers and counsellors.
Hate Speech Law vs Free Speech
One of the most disturbing realities of criminalising “hateful” speech is that there is simply no universally agreed upon definition of what constitutes “hate” in speech.
Beware of Critical Theory – it’s everywhere
What Is Critical Theory? We’ve prepared this post to explain Critical Theory, and how this is playing out in New Zealand.
Decriminalising Drugs – Lessons from Portugal (2021)
What lessons can we learn from a report about Portugal’s decriminalisation of drugs.
RESEARCH – Abortion, effects on health of women (2021)
A research paper for health professionals which reviews international evidence up to 2020 about the relationship between abortion and the physical and mental health of women.
COVID Vaccine – Making an informed decision
We’re being asked on a regular basis – what’s Family First’s view of the COVID-19 vaccine?
Call For Inquiry On Public Health Harms of Pornography
Family First NZ is calling on politicians to investigate the public health effects and societal harms of pornography.
Euthanasia – We can live without it
Euthanasia and assisted suicide put many of us in danger. Nothing in this Act guarantees the protection required for vulnerable people.
Abortion – Fatal Flaws in the Abortion Legislation Act 2020
Read this detailed summary of the flawed Abortion Legislation Act 2020, which is one of the most extreme abortion laws in the world.
MEDIA – Making a complaint
Learn how to make a complaint about anything in the media – advertisements, television and radio programmes, print media, online media.
Sexuality & Gender ‘Education’ in Schools
We are constantly being contacted by concerned parents and being asked our opinion on the sex education curriculum in NZ schools. Learn more…
Lessons from Cannabis Legalisation in USA
The report “Lessons From Cannabis Legalisation 2020”, is a comprehensive study of the data outcomes in ‘legalised’ marijuana states in the U.S and other countries.
RESEARCH – Challenges facing children in stepfamilies (2020)
A report on the challenges facing children in stepfamilies – What we know, don’t know, and how to fill in the gaps.
RESEARCH – Anti-Smacking Law (2020) – “it’s a dog’s breakfast”
Research shows that 13 years on, the Anti-Smacking Law is a “dog’s breakfast”
RESEARCH – Gender and Transgender Issues – Parent Guide 2020
Why is it that so many young people today are wondering if they were born in the wrong
body? With popular endorsements coming from the culture, law, and even the medical establishment, the transgender phenomenon has gone from idea to trend.
RESEARCH – Report on NZ Fertility (2019)
New Zealand’s birth rate has hit at an all-time low. In 2018 there were only 11.87 births per 1,000 of the population. The total fertility rate dipped to 1.71 births per woman, well below the population replacement rate of 2.1 births.
RESEARCH – Childhood Gender Dysphoria (2018)
An epidemic of ‘childhood gender dysphoria’ is sweeping the Western world. Having exploded from rarity less than a decade ago, there is now an exponential increase in the number of children believing ‘they have been born in the wrong body’ and ‘belong’ in that of the opposite sex.
RESEARCH – Why Fathers Matter (2018)
No society can thrive without as many fathers as possible being involved daily in the lives of their children. A diverse and abundant body of research conducted over the past 50 years
proves this – in sometimes unexpected ways.
RESEARCH – Family Dinners & Family Life (2018)
In January 2018, an independent poll of 1000 New Zealanders found that 88% believed that dinners together on a regular basis were important, with two out of three (67%) saying they were “very important”
RESEARCH – Imprisonment & Family Structure (2018)
A wealth of research has investigated associations between family structure and adverse outcomes, but surprisingly little has investigated prisoners’ childhood family backgrounds.
RESEARCH – Why Mothers Matter (2018)
WHY MOTHERS MATTER Released 11 May 2018 First NZ has released a report entitled “Why Mothers Matter” which provides a concise but broad and well-documented …
RESEARCH – Abortion & Health of Women (2018)
ABORTION AND THE PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN A review of the evidence for health professionals Released 23 March 2018 A research paper for …
RESEARCH – Child Abuse (2016)
CHILD ABUSE & FAMILY STRUCTURE What is the evidence telling us? Released 29 November 2016 This report follows on from Child Poverty & Family Structure: What is the evidence …
RESEARCH – Child Poverty (2016)
CHILD POVERTY & FAMILY STRUCTURE What is the evidence telling us? Released 30 May 2016 Despite families being much smaller, parents being older, mothers being better …
RESEARCH – Anti-Smacking Law (2016)
“DEFYING HUMAN NATURE” An Analysis of New Zealand’s 2007 Anti-Smacking Law Released 11 February 2016 Executive Summary Full Report Media Release “Analysis Shows Failure of Anti-Smacking Law“ …
Boys, Girls & ‘Other’ – Gender Ideology (2015)
“BOYS GIRLS OTHER” Making Sense of the Confusing New World of Gender Identity Released 30 June 2015 Executive Summary Full Report Short Summary of Key Points Media …
Sexuality Education (& Mindfulness) in School – Your Legal Rights
UPDATED – 2022: Question: What can you do if, for example, your child comes home from school and says that they are having sex education …
Our Research
Family First is a leading voice on family issues in the media and public domain. Our research is commissioned to educate, promote and advance further research on policies which support marriage, families, and safe communities as foundational to a strong and enduring society. Family First also hosts conferences and brings in international experts; produces and publishes relevant and stimulating material in newspapers, magazines, and other media; and enables families to make submissions to local and central government on issues affecting them. Our goal is to participate in social analysis and debate, and advocate for families regarding public policy and laws.
Check out our fact sheets summarising the key issues facing New Zealand society.
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