Bob McCoskrie
Quick Facts
Biography
Bob McCoskrie is the director of the New Zealand social conservative group Family First New Zealand. McCoskrie has a master's degree in Commerce from the University of Auckland and is also a qualified teacher.
He initially worked as a tertiary lecturer in subjects such as taxation policy and accounting at Manukau Polytechnic for four years (1986–1990) and then as the Director of Youth for Christ Auckland (1990–1994) before he founded the Papatoetoe Adolescent Christian Trust in 1994. He worked as coordinator of that group until 2002, when he joined the Christian New Zealand radio station Radio Rhema as a talkback radio host and current affairs presenter on RBG's pay television Sky TV outlet, Shine TV. He also runs his own blog called "McBlog: Bob McCoskrie's Blog".
In 2006, McCoskrie founded Family First New Zealand and has been that organisation's main spokesperson since that time. As Family First leader, he has been involved in unsuccessful campaigns against the legislative change that removed the justification of corporal punishment by parents in New Zealand; under the Crimes Act 1961. His organisation successfully advocated for non-binding referenda in New Zealand over the issue, but the referendum failed.In 2013, McCoskrie actively campaigned against the introduction of same-sex marriage in New Zealand, again unsuccessfully. He also argued against the support of transgender students at Epsom Girls Grammar, again unsuccessfully.