Submissions

Issues chosen for submissions are generally on the basis of:

• Whether the issue has been set as an advocacy priority for Caritas.
• Whether Caritas or Catholic agencies have hands-on experience in dealing with the consequences of government decision-making in the issue.
• Whether there is Catholic social teaching on the issue, in particular whether the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference has previously spoken out about the matter.

Catholic social teaching does not provide technical solutions or specific answers to complex social issues. Rather it provides guidance for considering particular issues against principles provided by the Church. However, in commenting on particular legislation or matters before a Parliamentary Select Committee or other decision-maker, Caritas makes our own judgment as a Catholic agency about the specific matters before us.

Submissions are listed here by year, but there are also links to relevant submissions from our Advocacy priorities pages.