Family First

1. Business / Trading Name: Family First New Zealand (formerly Family First Lobby until November 2006).

2. Company Number: 1800565 (Incorporated Society/Trust registration number).

3. NZBN: 9429043037872 (New Zealand Business Number).

4. Entity Type: Incorporated Charitable Trust (registered under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957). Originally registered as a charity in 2007; deregistered in 2022 for non-charitable (political) purpose.

5. Business Classification: Social advocacy and lobbying organisation (pro-family/“values” advocacy) – classified as a Charitable Trust (T) by Companies Office records.

6. Industry Category: NGO / Not-for-Profit Advocacy (focus on family, religion, and conservative social policy).

7. Year Founded: 2006 (Trust deed established 6 April 2006 ; launched publicly as Family First Lobby in March 2006 ).

8. Addresses:

• Registered Office: 605B Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland 2104, New Zealand.

• Postal Address: P.O. Box 276-133, Manukau City 2241, New Zealand.

(Past known office at Parkview Tower, 21 Putney Way, Manukau – Level 4, used for events and meetings.)

9. Website URL: familyfirst.org.nz (primary official website).

10. LinkedIn URL: No official LinkedIn company page. (Key people use LinkedIn personally – e.g. CEO Bob McCoskrie’s profile ).

11. Company Hub NZ URL: N/A. (Not listed on CompanyHub; see BizDB entry and Companies Office link below instead.)

12. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17786e756da0999f00 (Charitable Trust Register)

13. Social Media URLs:

• Facebook: facebook.com/FamilyFirstNZ (public page with ~30k followers).

• Twitter (X): twitter.com/FamilyFirstNZ (active under handle @FamilyFirstNZ).

• Instagram: instagram.com/family_first_nz (campaign and event updates).

• YouTube: youtube.com/user/familyfirstnz (hosts “Family Matters” and campaign videos).

14. Ultimate Holding Company: None – Family First NZ is an independent not-for-profit trust with no holding company or parent entity.

15. Key Shareholders: Not applicable. As a trust, it has no shareholders. (It is funded by donations from individuals and supportive organisations, not equity investment.)

16. Leadership:

• Bob McCoskrie – Founder and National Director (Chief Executive): Established Family First in 2006; former Radio Rhema talkback host and South Auckland social worker. McCoskrie is the public face and driving force of the organisation.

• Board of Trustees: includes prominent conservatives such as Robert “Bob” McCoskrie, David Sharp (Trustee since 2007), Ross Wilcox, Nick Tuitasi QSM (former Police officer, joined Board 2013), Bruce Logan (educator and ex-Maxim Institute, joined 2014), Sue Reid (joined 2014), Ate Moala (medical professional, joined 2019). The Trust’s board governs strategy and finances. McCoskrie as CEO is the key decision-maker and spokesperson.

• Advisory Board (“Board of Reference”): Family First convened a high-profile Board of Reference of family advocates when launched in 2006. Members have included ex-TVNZ weatherman Jim Hickey and wife Sue, rugby legend Michael Jones and wife Maliena, ex-TV host Anthony Samuels and wife Shannon, among other business, church, and community leaders. (This advisory board provides public endorsement and strategic advice, though it does not appear to have formal governance power.)

17. Staff: Family First operates with a small dedicated team. Aside from Bob McCoskrie (Chief Executive), notable staff and contractors have included:

• Nick Tuitasi – “Pacific Director” and outreach speaker (a retired Police officer) who co-presents at events and brings Pacific community connections.

• Administration & Research: e.g. Sue Reid (also a trustee, assisting with administration), and research assistants/writers engaged for specific projects. In early years, Stephen Tetley-Jones (businessman) and Alexis Stuart (researcher/law graduate) acted as additional spokespeople.

(Overall staff numbers are modest – often under 5 paid staff – supplemented by volunteers and allied experts for campaigns.)

18. Staff with Previous Government Roles: Few, if any. Family First’s key figures mostly come from media, community or private sector backgrounds rather than government roles. For example, Nick Tuitasi’s public sector experience was in policing (community youth work). No Family First staff or trustees are known to have been government ministers or MPs prior to joining; the group is outside the formal government pipeline (it is often in adversarial stance toward government agencies rather than staffed by ex-officials).

19. Past Employees: Given its small size, most roles have been long-term. Notable former spokespeople include Stephen Tetley-Jones and Alexis Stuart, who were active in 2006–2008 but later stepped back. Several early trustees resigned as the organisation evolved – e.g. Stephen Tetley-Jones left the Board by 2008, David Sutherland and Warren Rodgers by mid-2010s. These departures reflected changes in strategy and consolidation of leadership around McCoskrie. There is no public record of high-profile “alumni” moving to other lobbying roles; many past staff/board members remain supporters informally.

20. Clients: Not applicable. Family First is an advocacy lobby group that does not operate on a client-consultant model. It does not represent fee-paying clients; instead, it represents its own mission and supporters (the wider conservative Christian family-values constituency). Its “clients” are effectively the causes it champions and the social conservative public who back its campaigns.

21. Industries/Sectors Represented: Family First claims to represent the “family” sector and traditional values in public policy. In practice, it focuses on social issues (family well-being, marriage, children) and intersects with sectors including:

• Social Policy & Welfare: child discipline, domestic violence, child poverty, etc..

• Education: curriculum content (opposing comprehensive sex education, gender ideology in schools).

• Health: abortion law, euthanasia, mental health impacts of pornography and drug use.

• Justice/Law Enforcement: drug policy (cannabis laws), prostitution law, censorship laws.

• Religion & Culture: freedom of religion and speech, opposing “hate speech” regulation.

Essentially, it represents the conservative Christian perspective across multiple social policy domains, rather than any commercial industry.

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: Family First is not subject to a formal lobbying register, and it does not voluntarily disclose meetings with officials. However, its engagements are evident through public submissions and campaigns:

• Parliamentary submissions: The group regularly submits to select committees on bills (e.g. on abortion legislation, the conversion therapy ban, hate speech proposals ). Bob McCoskrie and colleagues have given oral evidence in Parliament on these issues (often reported in committee records and press releases).

• Citizens’ Initiated Referendum (2009): Family First co-led the petition process, collecting 300,000+ signatures to force a referendum on child discipline laws. This is an example of direct engagement with democratic processes.

• Meetings with MPs: The organisation frequently lobbies MPs, particularly from socially conservative factions (e.g. it has worked with sympathetic National, ACT and New Zealand First MPs informally to urge law changes or introduce bills aligning with its agenda). For instance, Family First’s representatives were in dialogue with MPs during the marriage amendment bill (2012–13) and the debates on cannabis and euthanasia referendums (2018–2020), although such meetings are not officially logged.

• Official Information Act requests: Family First sometimes publicises information it has obtained via OIA to further its cause (for example, data on abortion numbers or school policies).

• Select Committee appearances: Public records show McCoskrie and other Family First reps appearing before committees (e.g. in 2021 on the Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill, arguing it would criminalise parents).

In summary, the group’s engagements are documented via their submissions, press releases, and media coverage rather than an official register.

23. Affiliations: Family First NZ is tightly networked in both local and international conservative circles:

• Domestic Alliances: It often partners with or supports other New Zealand conservative groups. For example, it has common cause with Sensible Sentencing Trust (on law & order), Right to Life NZ and Family Life International (on anti-abortion campaigns), and various church-based networks. In campaign coalitions, Family First took a leading role in the “Vote No” coalition against the 2007 anti-smacking law and worked alongside other groups in the “No” campaign for the 2020 cannabis referendum. It also launched the “Value Your Vote” project which effectively became an informal alliance of pro-family voters evaluating politicians.

• Political Party Links: While officially non-partisan, Family First has affinities with certain parties. It supported causes later picked up by the short-lived Conservative Party of NZ (2011–2014) – indeed, many Family First supporters backed Colin Craig’s party. In recent years, it has been courted by elements of the New Zealand National Party (e.g. MP Simon O’Connor, a Family First ally who even co-hosts Family First’s web broadcasts ) and by New Zealand First (which adopted anti-“woke” stances similar to Family First’s campaigns ). There is a revolving door of ideas, if not personnel, between Family First and these political actors.

• International Affiliations: Family First is part of a global conservative movement. It has connections to the US-based World Congress of Families (WCF) – in 2012, WCF was listed as a supporter of Family First’s annual Forum on the Family conference. Bob McCoskrie has spoken at WCF events overseas. The organisation has drawn on research and talking points from American Christian conservative groups like Focus on the Family and Alliance Defending Freedom (e.g. quoting from WCF’s “Natural Family: A Manifesto” in its materials ). Family First also interfaces with counterparts in Australia: for instance, inviting Australian Christian Lobby figures and partnering with the “Family First” parties in Australia for speaking engagements.

• Religious Networks: Though officially independent, Family First is closely aligned with evangelical and conservative Christian churches in NZ. Its Board of Reference has included pastors and church leaders. Events are often hosted at churches. This gives it a de facto affiliation with the evangelical Christian community, which amplifies its reach.

Overall, Family First stands at the centre of a constellation of socially conservative affiliations, linking grassroots family advocates, churches, and international “pro-family” organisations.

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations: Family First’s work is occasionally supported by like-minded organisations:

• Forum on the Family: Its flagship annual conference has in some years been co-sponsored by international groups. Notably, the 2012 Forum on the Family listed the World Congress of Families as a partner. In addition, Family First collaborates with groups like Focus on the Family NZ and NZ Christian Network to secure speakers and promote these events. Sponsors for Forum on the Family have included family-oriented charities and small businesses that share its values (e.g. pregnancy care centers, conservative publishers).

• Campaign Collaborations: During major campaigns, Family First joins forces. For example, in the “Say Nope to Dope” anti-cannabis campaign (2020), it collaborated with addiction specialists and some Māori community leaders who opposed legalisation – sharing resources and coordinating messaging. In the fight against the 2019–20 euthanasia and abortion law reforms, it worked alongside faith-based groups (e.g. Salvation Army on drug issues, certain Māori and Pasifika church coalitions on social issues).

• Media Partnerships: Family First has partnered with sympathetic media platforms. It works with Reality Check Radio and The Platform (independent outlets critical of “woke” culture) for publicity – for instance, Bob McCoskrie launched the WokeUp.nz initiative with interviews on those platforms.

• Educational Materials: The group has collaborated with overseas researchers to publish reports (effectively sponsorship of research). For example, it funded reports by US sociologist Dr. Patrick Fagan on pornography harms and by economists on the cost of family breakdown, produced in collaboration with foreign think-tanks.

Overall, Family First’s collaborations are issue-specific and informal, rather than formal joint ventures. The organisation itself sponsors events and research aligned with its mission, rather than being a corporate sponsor of outside projects.

25. Events (held or organized): Family First NZ is known for organising high-profile events to advance its agenda:

• Forum on the Family (Annual Conference): Since 2006, it has hosted this conference, billed as “one of the premier family conferences held each year” in NZ. The Forum brings together national and international speakers (often prominent religious conservatives, experts on family issues, and occasionally politicians) to discuss “family values” policy and strategy. It serves as a networking hub for social conservatives. For example, the 2023 Forum featured US speaker Katy Faust on opposing same-sex parenting, and the 2024 Forum hosted Jonathan Haidt (via video) and Australian activist Lyle Shelton. The events are typically opened by prayers and sometimes messages from sympathetic MPs.

• “Value Your Vote” Election Forums: In election years (2008, 2011, 2014, etc.), Family First has organised public meetings and online forums presenting its voter guides. These events sometimes involve inviting candidates to discuss family issues or simply presenting Family First’s scorecards rating MPs on votes (e.g. how they voted on marriage, abortion, etc.).

• Referendum Roadshows (2020): Ahead of the 2020 referenda on cannabis and euthanasia, Family First embarked on a nationwide tour of seminars branded “Know Means NO” meetings. They held 37 town-hall meetings across NZ, from major cities to small towns, drawing local crowds to hear why they should vote “No” in both referendums. These roadshow events were highly organised, with multimedia presentations, Q&A sessions, and literature distribution (400,000 pamphlets).

• Issue Seminars & Webinars: Family First occasionally hosts single-issue events. Examples include a 2018 event in Auckland with ex-transgender activists speaking against gender reassignment (coordinated after a venue controversy elsewhere), and online webinars such as “Straight Talk” panels on current policy debates (often featuring McCoskrie and guest commentators, including at times sitting National MP Simon O’Connor).

• Media Productions: While not traditional “events”, Family First runs regular video series like “Family Matters” and “Straight Talk”, effectively online events/discussions on policy. These live-streams often coincide with legislative debates, functioning to rally supporters in real time.

Through these events, Family First has built a strong grassroots presence; notably, its ability to “fill a room in pretty much any town” demonstrates its event organising prowess nationwide.

26. Political Donations: None disclosed. Family First NZ itself is not known to donate funds to political parties or candidates. As a lobbying charity-turned-trust, it maintains a public stance of issue advocacy rather than direct party support, likely to avoid jeopardizing its non-profit status (and in line with its claim of non-partisanship). A search of Electoral Commission donation records shows no donations from “Family First” to any party. Likewise, key personnel appear not to personally donate large amounts in the group’s name. (If anything, influence is wielded through persuasion and voter mobilisation, rather than financial contributions to politicians.) On the contrary, Family First benefited from indirect political donations flowing to it – i.e. fundraising from supporters – which are not publicly itemized. Its critics have sometimes questioned if it receives overseas funding (e.g. from US conservative organisations), but no official donation registers confirm this. In summary, Family First’s currency is political pressure, not cash donations.

27. Controversies: Family First New Zealand has been at the centre of multiple controversies, given its polarising positions and tactics:

• Charitable Status Deregistration: The protracted legal battle over its charity status is a major controversy. In 2017 the NZ Charities Registration Board ruled Family First’s advocacy was primarily political and “not beneficial to the community,” leading to deregistration. Family First fought this in court for years. Although it briefly won a reprieve in a lower court, the Supreme Court in 2022 unequivocally upheld its deregistration. This case drew public debate: Family First claimed political persecution, while others applauded the decision that a “discriminatory” lobby group should not enjoy tax-exempt charity privileges. The saga cast a spotlight on Family First’s activities, with the government’s lawyers effectively labeling the group as driven by a narrow ideological agenda inimical to charitable purpose.

• Allegations of Hate Speech and Anti-LGBTQI Bias: Family First’s staunch opposition to same-sex marriage, adoption by gay couples, transgender rights (such as puberty blockers for minors), and conversion therapy bans has prompted harsh criticism from human-rights advocates. Progressive politicians and LGBT groups frequently label Family First’s rhetoric as bigoted or harmful. For example, during the marriage equality debate (2012–2013), Family First’s campaign and its comparison of homosexual relationships to lesser family forms drew accusations of promoting intolerance. In recent years, activists have protested Family First events on gender issues, describing them as hate events. (E.g. in 2021, Family First’s submission against the conversion therapy ban was slammed by a coalition of youth and rainbow groups as “toxic” and out of touch.) The group rejects the “hate” label, but this controversy remains: by advocating “traditional marriage” only, Family First is widely seen by LGBTQI communities as an anti-equality lobby.

• Misleading Research and Misinformation: Critics have repeatedly accused Family First of using flawed studies and alarmist claims. A notable example was the 2009 “anti-smacking” referendum campaign: the pro-reform Yes Vote coalition rebutted Family First’s claims that good parents were being criminalised, pointing out that Family First cherry-picked cases and “seem to be suggesting Police ignore assaults on children”. Family First has also circulated contentious “research” – such as a report suggesting children of same-sex parents have worse outcomes, which was widely criticised by academics as biased. The Chief Censor and health experts have taken issue with Family First’s assertions on pornography and abortion respectively, at times calling them uninformed or skewed.

• “Kia Ora, Dopey” Ad Campaign: In 2020, Family First’s anti-cannabis referendum billboards featured the slogan “Kia Ora, Dopey!” (addressing cannabis users). This provocation was blasted by pro-legalisation advocates as offensive and racially insensitive (playing on Māori language while pushing a stereotype of users as “dopey”). While legal, the ad stirred public complaints. Family First revelled in the attention (“triggering the libs,” as noted by observers ), but it highlighted the group’s use of inflammatory messaging.

• Political Bias vs. Neutrality: There is ongoing controversy over Family First’s claim to be non-partisan. In practice the group has very clear political preferences (it fiercely opposed successive Labour-led social reforms, while often praising socially conservative politicians). Its “Value Your Vote” guides have been criticised for effectively telling people to vote for certain parties (those scoring high on Family First’s issues were almost exclusively conservative parties) – a thinly veiled electoral intervention. This raises ethical questions since for years it did so while registered as a charity. Some watchdogs accused Family First of engaging in undeclared lobbying and electioneering under the guise of education prior to its deregistration.

• Links to US Extremist Networks: Investigative reports have probed whether Family First is connected to American far-right Christian networks. Media have pointed out that the World Congress of Families – known for anti-LGBT initiatives – supported Family First events. Critics in NZ have thereby tied Family First to what they call “US culture wars imported to New Zealand.” Family First denies being directed from overseas, but doesn’t hide that it shares resources with foreign counterparts. This association remains controversial as many Kiwis are uneasy with US-style culture war tactics entering local politics.

In essence, Family First is controversial for its ideology and its methods. It is either a valiant defender of traditional family values or an out-of-touch purveyor of division, depending on one’s viewpoint. This controversy is exactly why the group sits in an “unauthorised lobbying” profile – it operates in a grey zone of influence that often escapes official scrutiny.

28. Other Information of Note:

• Former Name: It launched as “Family First Lobby” in early 2006 before rebranding to Family First New Zealand later that year. The early name explicitly signaled its lobbying function.

• Charity Status History: Family First was one of the first organisations to register under the Charities Act (registered March 2007). Its removal in 2017 (confirmed 2022) set a legal precedent – clarifying that political advocacy groups do not qualify as charities in NZ. Despite loss of charity tax status, Family First continues operations funded by donors (now without donation tax credits).

• Financial Snapshot: As a deregistered charity, detailed financials are no longer public. However, past Charities records indicated annual donations in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The loss of tax-exempt status in 2017 meant it had to pay income tax on any surplus and donors lost tax rebates. Family First portrayed this as the government “silencing dissent by starving funding.”

• Campaign Tools: Family First is savvy in modern advocacy. It runs several dedicated websites for specific issues – e.g. ValueYourVote.nz (rating MPs’ family-value voting records), SayNopeToDope.org.nz (drug policy), and recently WokeUp.nz (tracking “woke corporates”). The WokeUp.nz project, launched in 2024, is essentially a public blacklist of companies that Family First says are pushing progressive social agendas, encouraging consumers to boycott them. This underscores Family First’s expansion from purely public policy into the realm of corporate culture wars.

• Media Strategy: Family First has cultivated its own media channels. Bob McCoskrie writes op-eds and blog posts (“McBlog”) and appears frequently on talkback radio and TV debates to represent the conservative viewpoint. The group issues constant press releases to feed its narrative into news (in 2020 it was said “the group doesn’t need mainstream media – it’s got its own channels” for reaching supporters ). It also utilises social media aggressively; its Facebook page and email newsletters mobilise supporters to submit on bills or contact MPs en masse.

• Public Perception: Polling on Family First specifically is scarce, but it is broadly known in NZ. By 2020, even a liberal commentator acknowledged Family First as “New Zealand’s most formidable conservative campaigners”. The group has a committed base, but also high negativity among progressive segments. Its persistence (nearly 20 years running) and ability to adapt messaging (e.g. pivoting to anti-‘woke’ rhetoric) is noteworthy for a lobby of its size.

• Rebranding Speculation: In light of losing charitable status, Family First has hinted it might evolve into a registered journalistic entity or some form of think-tank to regain legal privileges. It has already started branding some content as “research” or “news” to lend credibility. No concrete change of structure is confirmed yet, but this is an area to watch as regulatory pressures increase on unregistered lobbyists.

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No, there is no public record indicating that Family First New Zealand received any COVID-19 wage subsidies. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) maintains a public database of all employers who received wage subsidy payments during the pandemic. A search of this database does not list Family First New Zealand as a recipient.

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Sources

1. Family First New Zealand – business information. BizDb.co.nz. Company listing for Family First NZ (Charitable Trust). https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429043037872/

2. Support Us – Family First NZ. FamilyFirst.org.nz. Family First NZ support page showing NZBN and incorporation number (1800565) and noting loss of charity status. https://familyfirst.org.nz/support-us/

3. About Family First – Family First NZ. FamilyFirst.org.nz. About page (archived) stating formation in 2006 and mission. https://familyfirst.org.nz/about-us/ (archived at archive.ph/NKffw)

4. Charity Summary: Family First New Zealand (CC10094). Charities Register – Charities Services (NZ Govt). Deregistration details (18/09/2017) and Board’s reasoning that Family First’s purpose was political, affirmed by Supreme Court 28 June 2022. https://register.charities.govt.nz/Charity/CC10094

5. Family First New Zealand – Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. General description: “conservative Christian lobby group”, founded 2006 by Bob McCoskrie, objectives to influence public policy for families. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_First_New_Zealand

6. Family First announces its Board of Reference. Scoop News. Press Release by Family First Lobby, 31 May 2006, listing the Board of Reference members (Jim & Sue Hickey, Michael & Maliena Jones, etc) and Bob McCoskrie as National Director. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0605/S00335.htm

7. A night in Gore with NZ’s most formidable conservative campaigners. The Spinoff – Alex Braae. Profile of Family First during 2020 referendum roadshow: notes their networking skill, 37-town tour, and statement that Bob McCoskrie is “more politically influential than the average backbench MP.” https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/25-09-2020/a-night-in-gore-with-new-zealands-most-formidable-conservative-campaigners

8. New Zealand votes on law against child smacking. Reuters – Adrian Bathgate. News report on 2009 child discipline referendum: Family First collected 300,000+ signatures for petition, McCoskrie quoted on smacking law being a waste of time. https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE57514Q20090806

9. Supreme Court denies charitable status for Family First. Simpson Grierson (law firm commentary). Summary of June 2022 NZ Supreme Court decision: Family First’s advocacy found not charitable (advancing education test failed, purposes deemed discriminatory). https://www.simpsongrierson.com/articles/2022/supreme-court-denies-charitable-status-for-family-first

10. Who is Family First? Stuff.co.nz – (cited in Wikipedia). Report from 2009 describing Family First’s growing influence and broadening of Christian agenda in NZ politics. https://www.stuff.co.nz (31 Jan 2009 article).

11. Family First NZ faces deregistration – “views on gay marriage”. NZ Herald. News (2013) about initial Charities Board move to deregister Family First over its political views on issues like gay marriage. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10881941

12. Value Your Vote website launched for families – Scoop News. Scoop.co.nz. Press release 2011 announcing Family First’s “Value Your Vote” site to rate MPs on family issues. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1107/S00079.htm

13. Family First Supreme Court decision – Charities Services Update. Charities.govt.nz. Official update (8 July 2022) confirming Supreme Court decision that Family First “does not qualify for registration as a charity” due to non-charitable (political) purposes. https://www.charities.govt.nz/news-and-events/charities-sector-news/family-first-supreme-court-decision/

14. Press Release: New website showcases ‘woke’ companies. Scoop News – Family First NZ. 3 June 2024 press release by Family First launching WokeUp.nz to document “wokeness” in NZ businesses (Bob McCoskrie quoted about consumers avoiding woke companies). https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2406/S00007.htm

15. Misleading claims about the Child Discipline Law – YesVote. YesVote.org.nz. Pro-child-protection coalition blog (2009) rebutting Family First’s examples, accusing Family First of suggesting police ignore child assault and of undermining efforts to reduce abuse. https://yesvote.org.nz/tag/family-first/ (May 2009 post)

16. Supporters and Opponents gear up for Euthanasia Vote. RNZ News. Coverage ahead of 2020 euthanasia referendum: notes Family First’s involvement in the “Vote No” camp and their arguments vs. advocates for choice. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/427459/supporters-and-opponents-gear-up-for-euthanasia-vote

17. Alliance Defending Freedom funds anti-LGBTQ groups – The Guardian. TheGuardian.com – Adam Gabbatt. Investigative piece (30 June 2023) on ADF’s funding of US conservative groups; highlights how such US groups channel money to smaller orgs (contextual – Family First not named but ties into concerns of US influence). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/30/christian-hate-group-funding-us-anti-lgbtq-anti-abortion-organizations

18. Bob McCoskrie LinkedIn Post – WokeUp launch. LinkedIn.com. Bob McCoskrie’s LinkedIn announcing WokeUp.nz (June 2024) with media release links – indicative of Family First’s engagement with corporate culture issues. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bob-mccoskrie-280b294_wokeupnz-familyfirstnz-woke-activity-7063313514930712576-cK1k/

19. Family First’s 2020 Election Survey – NZ Herald. NZHerald.co.nz (Premium) – (Kate MacNamara, 2020). Analysis of various election donations and third-party campaigns; mentions Family First’s Value Your Vote and referendum spending. (Paywalled)

20. Parliamentary Petition 2015 – Petition to Maintain Definition of Marriage. NZ Parliament records. Family First-backed petition presented by MP to re-define marriage as man-woman (post 2013 law), showing direct lobbying efforts in Parliament. (Parl.Petition J. Dooley, 2015)

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz