United Future
Gordon Copeland

Copeland: Dads are important, here are the facts

“There have been a number of articles in the media in recent times, some of it in response to comments attributed to MPs, concerning the importance of fathering,” he said.

“It is important that comments are evidence-based, rather than mere personal opinion or worse, downright misleading.  Matters relating to the New Zealand family are of central importance if we are to build a strong society moving forward.

“My reading in this area over the years has convinced me that the presence of a father (as distinct from simply a male) is a critical success factor in achieving successful outcomes for children and the evidence clearly backs that up.

“I am delighted to see people such as John Tamihere talking this issue up, but whether the context is Maori or families from other social or ethnic backgrounds, the conclusions of the evidence remain amazingly uniform.  This reiterates the reality that, in line with United Future’s policy positioning, the interests of children are best served by the provision of a positive and safe home created by a loving mother and father.

“The evidence is clear.  It is time for society to place renewed emphasis on the importance of fatherhood and to ensure that all men understand its importance.  We desperately need a national slogan along the lines of “real men are great dads” since that is the reality.

“Those males who think fertilising and then fleeing is macho have simply never grown up.”

ends