Our Organisation
The principle objective of this initiative is to establish a movement of change. For over 30 years subsequent governments have pursued social policies based on the wrong principles.
When we get the principles wrong it is inevitable that the outcomes will be wrong.
This initiative is about galvanising the public position into recognising (largely what they already know) what works best for the community. It is our hope that the community will demand action and leadership, based on sound principles, by our elected politicians.
The movement will be largely ‘principle based’ rather than ‘issues based’. In general the issue of ‘how to do it’ or ‘how to fix it’ will be determined after wide debate. Our leadership needs to focus on principles which have the best prospect for building young New Zealanders of great character with behaviour, which contributes to their lives and our society.
Essentially therefore, the thrust of this initiative focuses on the indisputable principles and entitlements.
Our Trustees
John Sax
Founder and Trustee
As a businessman for over 30 years John has always had a degree of community involvement whether it has been assisting with the establishment of “halfway houses” in Otara, commencing youth programs, initiating re-training of the long-term unemployed to taking mentoring in schools. John has a vision and strong desire of doing what he can to make New Zealand a better place for children.
John is the Founder of the For the Sake of Our Children Trust.
He has strong views of the destructiveness of many of New Zealand's social policies and the damage they are causing our children. He is a promoter and a champion of caring communities.
John has many other business interests including Treetops Lodge & Resort in Rotorua and Florence Court, a category 1 historic mansion which is run as a boutique hotel. John is married to Alma and they have two children, James & Natasha.
Christine Rankin
Chief Executive Officer and Trustee
Christine is former Chief Executive Officer of one of the largest government departments in New Zealand, the Department of Work and Income - more commonly known as WINZ.
Christine’s background was very different to the traditional CEO appointments in that she came up from the bottom ranks of the Department of Social Welfare, in fact, from the other side of the counter as a DPB recipient. Her educational background was not punctuated by a University Degree.
Christine joined the Department of Social Welfare in 1978 as a temporary clerk. After holding a series of positions within the Department, she was appointed District Manager of Grey Lynn in 1987 and two years later took over the position of Director for the Auckland Central/Grey Lynn district. At 34 years of age, she was the youngest director in the country.
In 1992, the Department of Social Welfare split into business units and Christine was appointed Income Support Regional Manager for the Northern Region. At the time of her appointment, the region had a reputation as the worst performing area in the Department. Under her leadership, the region rapidly moved to become the best performing Income Support region.
Christine was appointed the General Manager of Income Support. In that role she managed 3,200 staff with an operating budget of $285 million. As General Manager she made major changes to the organisation including the introduction of a case management approach for customers.
On 30 June 1998, Christine was appointed to the position of Chief Executive of the Government’s new Department managing employment assistance and income maintenance services to working age beneficiaries. She was the Chief Executive of Work and Income New Zealand from 1 October 1998 until May 2001. Christine Rankin was a ‘first’ in many aspects of her public service career. She broke the mould from the very beginning with a range of appointments culminating with her appointment to the role of General Manager of the Income Support Service and then as Chief Executive Work and Income New Zealand.
On change of Government in New Zealand, Christine was the subject of national and international attention when the new Labour Government decided not to continue her employment contract despite the organisations outstanding results.
Christine’s passion for leadership and her belief in the power of individual potential is the centre of her continuing work. Christine formed her own business – Rankin and Associates – in July 2000.
Since the controversial ‘trial’, Christine has been a columnist for the NZ Herald, a keynote speaker at many national conferences, a commentator on radio, public relations and marketing campaigns and consulted internationally on management and leadership.
Christine is committed to New Zealand and furthering her work in developing leadership at the individual, corporate and government levels. She is able to share her insights in a number of areas from leadership, passion and innovation, to changing organisations, human behaviours, and political/social issues, as well as her own personal story about making it against the odds.
Angus Fletcher
Trustee
Angus Fletcher has had a long career in business, principally with Fletcher Holdings and then with Fletcher Challenge, and a long standing involvement in a wide variety of “not for profit” community based organisations.
Many of these community activities have been directed to young people and have involved education initiatives. Currently his trusteeships include the Fletcher Trust, Life Education Trust, Pacific Foundation and the Auckland Volunteer Coastguard Charitable Trust. In addition he is on a number of advisory boards and councils including Enterprise New Zealand Trust, Business in the Community and the Methodist Employment Generation Fund.
In Angus’ view what these Trusts have in common with the For Sake of Our Children Trust is that they all make a positive difference to our communities and society.