United Future releases family policy

United Future released its family policy today. As well as its previously announced tax policies, Peter Dunne announced more support for Relationship Services and marriage preparation courses, and improved access to parenting education programmes. Other features are:

* family service centres for parents and children;

* character education programmes in schools;

* more support for children with disabilities through a Caregivers Allowance;

* shared care for children of separated families, DNA paternity testing where necessary; and

* a review of the Family Court and the Child Support system.

And earlier, John Key, at Family First's Forum on the Family today, emphasised his earlier policy that 20 hours free is going to be extended to playcentres and Kohanga Reo, hinted that current funding for the Families Commission is not safe under National and that the funding should go to the NGOs in the front line who are dealing with families.

He specifically committed to funding groups like Parents Inc, should National win the election. Parents Inc get absolutely no Government funding whatsoever, because the Government is ideologically opposed to their Christian views and that is a disgrace when the Families Commission get so much for so little result. Incidentally, at least two of their commissioners are Christians.