Mis-Informing the public on smacking

Mis-Informing the public on smacking

Prime MinisterHelen Clark yesterday maintained that New Zealanders arewell informed about the debate in our country over section59 of the Crimes Act, which gives parents a defence ofreasonable force used by way of correction, provided theforce used is reasonable under the circumstances.

Yetone of her own ministers, Child, Youth and Family MinisterRuth Dyson, considers that children are legallydisadvantaged in comparison to adults so far as the use offorce is concerned. That would be true if children held thesame status as autonomous, independent individuals as adultsdo. But children are highly dependent and far fromautonomous. That is why they cannot drive, drink, vote,enter into contracts, etc.

Dyson's arguments areridiculous.

Family Integrity National Director CraigSmith says that the public has been badly misinformed andmisled by the anti-smacking lobby. The Crimes Amendment Billto repeal Section 59 of the Crimes Act will pull virtuallyall authority out from under all parents. The Billcriminalizes the use of "force", not just physicaldiscipline.

Smacking will become an assault, as thePolice Commissioner has confirmed. But so will "time out"since it requires forcing a child to sit still.

"Yousimply cannot discipline without using force," says MrSmith.

"And if you cannot back up the requirements andthe prohibitions you place on your children with some kindof force, then you have no authority.

You are reduced tomaking suggestions which you hope will be followed." YetGreen MP Sue Bradford has said that she does not intend toban smacking. What Ms Bradford intends is irrelevant. Sheknows full well that her Bill will outlaw physicaldiscipline and reduce parental authority toward their ownchildren to the same level as total strangers, for so shesays in the Bill's explanatory note: "[Parents] will now bein the same position as everyone else so far as the use offorce against children is concerned."

Bradford goes onto illogically claim that the Police will not prosecute forlight smacks with an open hand, for they will use commonsense and let such minor actions go, even though the Policethemselves have said even light smacks will constitute actsof criminal assault, worth as much as two years in jail, ifSection 59 is ever repealed.

"Since when has a law beenmade on the basis that it won't be enforced?" Mr Smith asks.

"This whole issue is far too important to get itwrong. Even Dr Kiro the Children's Commissioner conceded atthe "Effective Discipline" Forum she and the FamiliesCommission put on in Wellington last Thursday the 9th thatrepealing Section 59 would criminalize too many parents,that it could not be glossed over with rhetoric."

ends
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