Larry Baldock can’t name a single example of smacking being criminalised

June 17, 2009

Larry Baldock, the organiser of the referendum,was comprehensively owned by Sean Plunket on National Radio’s Morning Report programme today.

The referendum organiser cannot come up with a single example where a parent has been criminalised for smacking a child.

Baldock: It is absolutely clear that if a parent uses any reasonable force right now to correct their child right now they are breaking the law…

Plunket: Can you give us an example of that having happened?

Baldock: There are examples that we’ll have available…

Plunket: Can you give us a single example of that having happened, please?

Baldock: There was a grandfather for example, who tipped his grandson out of a chair because the grandson refused to obey his grandfather to turn down the television and so on.

Plunket: Was he convicted and was that a smack?

Baldock: He plead guilty …

Plunket: Was that a smack?

Baldock: No, he tipped him out of a chair….

…

Plunket: Can you point to anyone who has been criminalised for smacking a child?

Baldock: Yes we can.

Plunket: Please, could you give me an example?

Baldock: Well, I’ll have to go to my list of examples.

Plunket: Can you give me a single example off the top of your head?

Baldock: No, not off the top of my head, I can’t.

… and so on.

Wouldn’t it be nice to send Baldock a bill for $9m?