Lobby group Family First is being deregistered as a charity, losing its tax exempt status, due to its political lobbying. Its director Bob McCoskrie says its action against marriage equality was cited by Charities Services as one of the reasons for deregistration. He claims opponents are trying to muzzle Family First. Political advocacy, including advocacy for a law change, is not regarded as charitable under the Charities Act. Charities Services says the law has always been that organisations with a main purpose that is political are not charitable. "This is because courts have said that it is not their role to decide whether a proposed law change will or won't be of `public benefit' (an essential part of a charity's purpose)." In 2010 a group which tried to "cure" gay people, Exodus Ministries, was denied charitable status.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 6th May 2013 - 9:35am