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NEWS from Churches’ Agency on Social Issues
(Presbyterian, Methodist, Churches of Christ, Quakers)
<typohead type="3">Contents</typohead>
1. Putting your fundraising where your mouth is
2. New ways of living – energy consultation
3. Race relations
4. What CASI is working on
5. Resources
<typohead type="3">Putting your fundraising where your mouth is</typohead>
Question: What do these groups have in common? Anglican Action (Waikato); Child Poverty Action Group; Downtown Community Ministry (Wellington); Hamilton Combined Christian Foodbanks; Knox-St Columba Presbyterian Church (Lower Hutt); Pets on the Net; Porirua Rongopai Trust; NZ Coalition for Gambling Reform, Inc (GamblingWatch)
Answer: These eight refuse to take money from poker machine trusts or any similar groups where gambling generates the income.
Standing against the torrent of self-promotion from poker machine operators who claim the community can not do without them, these eight deserve support for their refusal to be ‘bought’ and silenced – even if it hurts.
It hurts especially when the poker machine trusts run scare stories about ‘good causes’ that will ‘miss out’ because of new site payments rules. Communities will miss out because, the Trusts claim, the changes in site payments mean that the bigger gambling venue operators will reduce their ‘services’ – providing gambling opportunities is now a service – to their neighbourhoods.
‘Those adversely-affected operators say they will reduce hours and service to ensure they only do the work they are recompensed for,’ according to Karen Good of the Southern Trust, one of the big societies making up the Charity Gaming Trust. ‘I do not blame them for taking that attitude.’
However, she also admits ‘we do not have huge amounts of evidence at this time to prove that what our operators are telling us will happen.’ But she pleads that ‘if funding levels are reduced’ (in other words, if site payments reflect actual costs rather than a proportion of the gross take), ‘this trust will be forced into an untenable situation of having to make choices about what worthy groups will get funding.’
The clubs’ and pubs’ income for management and overheads is expected to be $264 million. This is indeed lower than the $300 million they took last year. Government takes one-third in tax and the remainder is distributed to community groups that apply for it. However, as GamblingWatch’s coordinator Dave Macpherson pointed out, far from reducing the payouts to community, sporting and educational groups, limiting payments to owners and operators should leave more in the jam jar for these groups.
‘The argument about how much money will be available to schools and community groups also begs the question as to how desirable it is for the community to come to rely on money that is primarily lost through the misery of people with gambling addiction problems,’ he said.
Some statistics: Since the Gambling Act was passed in 2003, the number of gaming machine venues and the number of machines has dropped for the first time ever. At 30 September 2004 (after a year of the new legislation), the number of pokies had dropped by 3,000 (to 22,294), the number of venues was 1,897 (down from 2,122) and the number of societies (organisations which own gambling machines, from the very large trusts to small clubs owning two or three) from 699 to 626.
New Zealand gamblers lost a net $941 million on poker machines in 2003.
<typohead type="3">New ways of living - energy consultation</typohead>
A just-released publication, Creating a Sustainable Energy System for New Zealand, offers a view of New Zealand’s energy future and discussion of how we might shape it for the benefit of our future generations. It looks at the opportunities and threats this country faces, what policy has been developed so far, and suggests some possible further steps towards a more sustainable energy system.
The paper is being used as a basis for discussion over the next six months. Key stakeholders are formally involved, but that does not stop anybody taking their own steps to express opinions on the policy. The 70-page book also has useful statistics, charts and graphs for those wanting to take action at local level.
Church groups on CASI’s mailing list are being sent copies of the publication, and we have a few spares for others interested. We are also keen to hear from any church or community group that may have taken some of their own steps towards sustainable energy use – solar water/church heating, their own windmill, wood-fired heating etc – and anyone with experience in working with regional or local bodies in this area.
This is a useful next step for groups who have done the CASI studies on climate change (Outlook- Unsettled 2002) and who want to move on to thinking about practical expressions of concern.
<typohead type="3">Race Relations</typohead>
It is becoming very clear 2005 will be a defining year for relationships between the various racial groups in this country. CASI is working with other churches through the Capital City Forum to put on a major seminar on race relations in the context of an election year, mostly likely in early March 2005. It will be in Wellington, an all-day Saturday seminar to do the topic justice; the draft programme ranges from comments on New Zealand’s race relations journey in an international context, analysis of public opinion and comments on the political scene, to people from church communities talking about their practical experiences of working through local issues.
We are working with the Human Rights Commission on aspects of the programme, and will have full details in time for next Broadsheet (dateline February 2005). Those living in the Wellington region and nearby, may wish to pencil in Saturday 5 or 12 March, 9.30-4-ish. We hope the seminar will result in a publication that will be available to reach a wider audience.
<typohead type="3">What CASI is working on</typohead>
A resource about the physical discipline of children and the repeal of Section 59 of the Crimes Act will be available early next year.
Planning is under way for a joint publication for the 2005 General Election, working with the Catholic and Anglican churches. We are currently exploring ideas for key election issues to background. Suggestions about the issues important to you when you cast your vote are much appreciated.
Submissions on the current Social Security Amendment Bill and the Public Health Advisory Committee’s paper on Emerging Issues for Public Health in New Zealand, are in the pipeline. We are also awaiting the promised proposals to amend the Resource Management Act.
Cataloguing of the CASI specialist library on church and social issues in New Zealand is now complete. We are working on protocols for borrowing from the library and welcome inquiries from church and community groups and people seeking information and publications.
<typohead type="3">Resources</typohead>
The Social Issues Resource Kit has been distributed throughout our four member churches. If your church or parish did not receive a copy, contact us.
Thinking Through Immigration - a good basis for a four-part Lenten study series on this important issues.
(Extended versions of these and other stories appear in the August edition of Broadsheet, CASI’s bimonthly print and web publication. Get your own copy by email or post – contact casi(at)casi.org.nz, or download from www.casi.org.nz
Preaching Notes and Prayers kits
Preaching Kit 1 – Meditations for Advent and Christmas (a lectionary resource for 28 November 2004 – 2 January 2005) is now available both in printed form ($4 plus postage) and on our web page.
Preaching kit 2 for 6 January – 9 February partly written by the late Rev John Currie, and finished by the Rev Dr Jim Veitch.
As with all the preaching notes, which cover every Sunday and special day of the Church year, these are based on the three-year Common Lectionary readings. They are suitable for both lay and ordained preachers or can be used by groups either preparing worship or wanting to do some Bible study.
The notes contain exegetical material on each of the lectionary readings, and preaching suggestions. These and other lectionary resources are also available on our web page www.presbyterian.org.nz in the Find a Resource section.
We have a wide range of authors lined up to write notes for the lectionary year which started
with Advent, and if you are interested in receiving the kits in print form as they are produced please pre-order by sending $40 which includes GST and postage. Writers include Revs Mark Chapman , Mua Strickson Pua, Roger Wiig, Pamela Tankersley, Martin Stewart, Judy Bedford, John Currie, Jim Veitch and Frank Glen and Graham Millar.
<typohead type="3">Easter and Lent Resources</typohead>
As usual we will have a variety of resources available for the season. Resources will be available both in printed copy and on the website.
A series of four studies by Rev Dr Harry Swadling is available now – Journeys and Encounters is $4 plus postage. These studies look at stories from the four Gospels with thought provoking questions. It is best if each person has a copy.
A resource kit with a wide range of resources for worship, drama, pageants, prayers, and creative special occasions will be available early next year for the Easter/Lent season. The resources have been used by a range of parishes and have worked well so are being shared more widely. The kit Lent and Easter 2005 will be $9 plus postage.