This year’s Family First Forum on the Family is almost upon us. On Friday 6 August 2010 people will converge on the Life Convention Centre in Auckland and listen to various speakers, participate in discussion, down coffee, eat yummy food and network on issues surrounding policies that affect families.
Matt and I have been going to the Forum on the Family for some years now. We always enjoy it as the speakers are generally thought provoking, considered and worthwhile and the opportunity to catch up with other bloggers and see people we are usually only in email or Facebook or blog contact with is really good but what I like best is being surrounded by people who care about their communities, who have clear opinions on the policies being set down by government and ideas as to the way forward. The people are real and genuine – sure there are politicians and media present and ‘celebrities’ but the bulk of those present are just average people with families who are not content to just bump along without giving some thought to the direction our policy makers are taking us in.
This year Matt cannot attend as he is relief-teaching that day and we cannot afford for him to lose a day’s pay. We were also worried that I would not be able to go due to the cost of the ticket – which in previous years I have been more than happy to pay as I think the event is worthwhile – but you all know our current financial situation. However, I am happy to report that in exchange for blogging the event my ticket is complimentary.
So I will be there and that, of course, is yet another reason for you to be there too 😉
The line-up looks promising: Aric Sigman, Melinda Tankard Reist, Tuhoe Isaac, Judy Bailey, et al.
Apparently ticket sales are already in excess of last year and there is a reasonable media presence expected so if you turn up and contribute to the discussion there is a very good chance that you will help make the conservative viewpoint heard so go and secure your ticket now!
Anyone who might be in a position to donate me/loan me an air-card for the day will enable me to live tweet the event across _MandM_. If you can help see our Support Page for how to get it to me.
The tradition begun in 09 of going for drinks afterwards is still on – Matt will be able to join us for that much at least. If someone can jog my memory as to the name of the venue we went to last time or can suggest somewhere nearby I will I have set up a Facebook Event page.
Tags: Aric Sigman · Bob McCoskrie · Family First · Forum on the Family · Judy Bailey · Melinda Tankard Reist · Tuhoe Isaac8 Comments
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Yes, it was on Montgomorie Rd but back towards the main drag to the Airport – I have a roundabout in my mind…
I was disappointed to not see you and Matt on this years line up.
As I recall the venue was a pub between the convention centre and the airport. Unsure of the name but there cant be too many of them..
I am not politically conservative, I don’t always agree with everything in a Family First media release but I don’t have to always agree with everything someone has to say to get something out of what they are saying and like I said, it is the experience of the event as a whole that I really like, the coming together combined with the information and the focus on whatever issues are on the agenda.
I have done a bit of event planning professionally and I can tell you that this will be an expensive event to put on – the food costs for a whole day for that many people, the flights and accommodation for the speakers, there may be speaker fees to cover, then staff costs, event hire, publications, advertising lighting, sounds, event decoration – Family First are not state funded, the money has to come from somewhere and like I said, having been several times now I would happily pay for it and on other years I have chosen to do so and at no point, even pre-accident when we were doing ok income wise, could you have called Matt and I ‘rich.’
Seems like a lot of money to spend so you can listen to some ‘family friendly’ loonies.
Fair enough. I just find it odd that they are charging people close to $100 each to hear their message. We you want to change society it is best to get your message out to as many people as possible and not just the wealthy.
Some you just going to order the DVD of the event afterwards?