Overseas criminals seeking to mask their illicit funds are laundering an estimated $1.35 billion at least through New Zealand each year, according to the boss of the New Zealand Police’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Continue reading
New Zealand
When a handshake is not welcome…
Thursday, March 15th, 2018
A University of Auckland academic has been sacked after trying to shake a female Muslim student’s hand and then accusing her of sexual discrimination when she refused. “A harsh punishment for a bruised ego I thought, until this morning.,” says journalist Mahvash Ali in an opinion piece published in Stuff. “I am a Muslim woman, a pretty friendly Read more
Petition seeks to make all religious institutions pay tax
Thursday, March 15th, 2018
On 6 March a petition to Parliament was launched seeking to remove tax free status from all religious institutions. The petition requests: “That the House of Representatives pass legislation to tax all religious institutions.” The reason for the petition is: “Destiny Church and similar evangelical institutions are having a direct and negative impact on the Read more
NZ represented at meeting of young people in Rome to prepare for Synod
Thursday, March 15th, 2018
Isabella McCafferty has been invited by the New Zealand Catholic Bishops to represent New Zealand a meeting of young people in Rome. This meeting, which begins on Monday, will bring 300 young people from across the world for six days. The outcome from the gathering will be presented to the members of the October Synod Read more
Developments in fertility medicine contributes to trend to having children later
Thursday, March 15th, 2018In New Zealand the age of having children has shifted later and later, with many women prioritising a career in early adult life over a family. And developments in fertility medicine have helped this trend. In New Zealand, women give birth to the most children between 30 and 34, but this was not always the Read more
What NZ’s young people want from Church
Thursday, March 15th, 2018Passion, like-minded discussion and connecting with others are the top three things that young people in New Zealand are asking of the Catholic Church in this country. This is according to the youth survey conducted last year in preparation for the 2018 Synod on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment at the Vatican. Continue reading
Police checkpoint targeting euthanasia supporters unlawful
Thursday, March 15th, 2018A police checkpoint targeting euthanasia supporters in Lower Hutt in 2016 was unlawful, the Independent Police Conduct Authority says. The Privacy Commissioner has also condemned police actions, saying officers unlawfully and unfairly collected personal information and harmed some of the people involved. Police have accepted they broke the law – but maintain they “acted in Read more
First church rebuild completed after Christchurch earthquakes
Monday, March 12th, 2018
The director of the Christchurch Bishop’s Pastoral Office, Mike Stopforth, says he is “thrilled” to have the rebuild of St Mary’s Church in New Brighton, Christchurch completed, especially because it is the first parish church in the diocese to be rebuilt since the 2011 earthquakes. The congregation had been meeting in a nearby community hall Read more
Operation Restore Hope: Transforming the lives of children in the Philippines
Monday, March 12th, 2018
On Thursday, Operation Restore Hope, a team of 25 volunteer medical professionals, are heading for the Philippines. They will carry out the repair of cleft lips and palates, facial disfigurement and other deformities for children who cannot afford medical care. This is the 20th year in which such a team has visited the Philippines. Health clinics throughout Read more
Humanist campaigned to get people to tick the “not religious” option in census
Monday, March 12th, 2018
In the weeks before the census, the Humanist Society of New Zealand ran a national advertising campaign encouraging New Zealanders who are not religious to say so in this year’s census. Sara Passmore, President of the Humanist Society of New Zealand, said that “most people are happy living ethical and fulfilling lives without participating in a Read more