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Bob McCoskrie is the National Director of the New Zealand conservative Christian non-profit NGO Family First New Zealand.[1]

Education

McCoskrie has a Masters of Commerce with Honours from the University of Auckland and a Diploma of Teaching from the Auckland College of Education.[2]

Professional career

McCoskrie initially worked as a tertiary lecturer in accounting, commercial law and tax law at Manukau Polytechnic for four years (1986–1990) and then as the Director of Youth for Christ South Auckland in Ōtara (1990–1994) before he founded and co-ordinated the Papatoetoe Adolescent Christian Trust (1994–2002) working with at-risk youth and their families. In 1996 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace (JP). In 2002 he joined the Christian New Zealand radio station Radio Rhema as a talkback radio host and current affairs presenter on Sky TV's Shine TV.[3][2]

Family First New Zealand

In 2006, as a 42-year old church leader, McCoskrie founded Family First New Zealand to lobby for strong families and safe communities in New Zealand, and has been that organisation's National Director and main spokesperson since that time.[4][5] In 2009 Victoria University religious studies professor Paul Morris said Family First was "successfully broadening the Christian agenda in New Zealand politics in a way never seen before".[4] In 2020 Family First was described as "New Zealand's most formidable conservative campaigners".[6]

Personal life

McCoskrie and his wife Tina, who he married in a Methodist church in about 1989, have three children and live in South Auckland.[2][7]

Views

McCoskrie has publicly spoken out against the legalisation of same-sex marriage.[8][9] He has said that New Zealand's decision to legalise same-sex marriage is, "an arrogant act of cultural vandalism" and "Makes a mockery of marriage".[10] After New Zealand legalised same-sex marriage in 2013 McCoskrie resigned as a marriage celebrant in opposition to gay marriage.[11] His anti-same-sex marriage views are consistent with Family First New Zealand.[10]

When voters rejected the legalisation of recreational cannabis in 2020, McCoskrie said that he was "pretty stoked" with the cannabis referendum results and that New Zealanders "understood the perceived benefits of legalisation were not greater than the harms that were going to come on society."[12]

McCoskrie publicly stated that Roe v. Wade – which gave the legal right to an abortion in the United States – being repealed in 2022 was a "great day".[13]

References

  1. ↑ "About Us: Family First NZ". Family First. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bob McCroskie - Founder Family First". Downtown Auckland Rotary Club. 4 July 2022.
  3. ↑ McCoskrie, Bob. "About Bob McCoskrie". McBlog: Bob McCoskrie's Blog. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Who is Family First?". Stuff. 2009-01-31. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  5. ↑ "Introducing the Family First Lobby" (PDF). Family First New Zealand. 2006-03-31. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2006. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  6. ↑ Braae, Alex (2020-09-25). "A night in Gore with New Zealand's most formidable conservative campaigners". The Spinoff. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  7. ↑ "Gay community cannot redefine marriage". Stuff. 2011-10-26. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
  8. ↑ "McCoskrie: Gay marriage a stepping-stone to legalising polygamy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  9. ↑ McCoskrie, Bob (31 July 2012). "Bob McCoskrie: State has no authority to reinvent marriage". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Marriage of two straight men for radio competition angers gay rights group". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "McCoskrie resigns as marriage celebrant". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Whyte, Anna; Producer, Senior Digital Political. "Chlöe Swarbrick optimistic in light of unsuccessful cannabis referendum". 1 News. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
  13. ↑ "Family First: 'Nothing off the table' on abortion in NZ". 1 News. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
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