Paula Bennett: The Child Discipline Law appears to be working

August 3, 2009

Wellington, Aug 2 NZPA – Social Development Minister Paula Bennett will not vote in the smacking referendum she said today.

Instead she will “shut up” and listen.

“I think this is a time for politicians to listen, actually it wouldn’t do any harm for some of us to shut up for a while, see what the public think and then make some plans from there,” Ms Bennett told TV One’s Q+A programme.

Politicians had the opportunity to put forward their views every day, she said.

However, she said the current law appeared to be working.

“Certainly I suppose I see that through Child Youth and Family, and through being the minister for that, that I am not alarmed by anything that seems to have changed drastically in the last couple of years.”

Johny O’Donnell to MPs: Be the voice we can’t be and speak for us – smacking should be illegal

August 2, 2009

Johny O’Donnell, a leader of Students Against Violence Everywhere (the SAVE Movement) gave the following speech on Parliament Steps last Thursday.

Tena Koutou Katoa

I stand before you today to represent the views of the many rangatahi up and down Aotearoa who are calling on adults to vote in support of violence free homes. I stand with just three of our group of passionate rangitahi who have joined the Students Against Violence Everywhere youth movement and are dedicated to making a difference to our society.

There is a gap in our society and it is youth opinions. Perhaps the government and everyday citizens would be better informed if youth get a better say, I think the referendum is a clear example of young people’s rights and opinions being overlooked.

This law is the difference between us having equal rights to be protected from violence or having less rights than adults and animals. So this issue is a very important topic for young people, surely we would get a say in this issue. Our rights to be brought up in violence free homes are being threatened by groups who are only thinking about adults and it disgusts me that these people are ok with our children being brought up on violence as a form of discipline. As quoted by SAVE member Manaaki Walker “Violence is a ripple effect. It starts off as a drop in the water but soon creates a ripple effect which disturbs all the waters. This is no different than smacking a child. It may start as a smack but can trigger other violent behaviours from both the parent and the child. We need to keep our waters calm and let children have peace in their own homes”.

Smacking is violence and it is harmful, we need to make change to our parenting methods. I want to be a part of a generation that eradicates all forms of physical punishment because it is ineffective, unnecessary, harmful to children and a mind set of some kiwi parents that this is the only option. This law is about positive change and it is happening, good parents are not being criminalised and our attitudes are changing. Child abuse is no longer excused because of discipline.

In a recent survey held on the SAVE movement website 69% of youth voted yes to the question Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand? 69% of our young people are urging adults to take this opportunity to do the right thing – be the voice that we can’t be and speak for us.

This question was one of many questions aimed at canvassing young peoples opinions and 100 people from as young as 10 years old participated in our online survey from all around New Zealand. We also asked should there be the defence of discipline in child abuse cases? A clear 81% of youth said no. Further that 82% believed that young people deserved a better say on this issue. And when asked what best describes the referendum question 45% of participants said it was absolutely shocking and shouldn’t be allowed, while 24% said it was not very good and miss leading. Just 8% thought that the referendum question was excellent.

So lets clear this up once and for all young people of this country are calling for people to vote yes and I am only echoing that call. The time has come for people to listen to youth opinions and protect our rights to be free from all forms of violence including physical punishment. I can only ask that you do the right thing and speak for us- physical punishment is harmful, it’s a waste of time and can only encourage other forms of violence- there is no line between a smack and other violence- the whole lot of it needs to be gone from our homes. Lets not put this change under threat please vote yes in the referendum.

No reira
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Herald: Overwhelming majority of MPs either voting YES or abstaining

August 2, 2009

The New Zealand Herald’s Political Editor Claire Trevett reports on how MPs will be voting in the referendum.  The overwhelming majority of MPs will either vote YES or abstain, and only five said they would be voting no.

Of particular interest is Chester Borrows, who “had supported the petition to force the referendum before the compromise law was passed in 2007 – said he would not vote and did not believe the law should be changed.”

VOTING YES
Labour: Steve Chadwick, Charles Chauvel, Kelvin Davis, Darien Fenton, Parekura Horomia, Moana Mackey, Su’a William Sio, Maryan Street. Progressives: Jim Anderton.

United Future: Peter Dunne.

Green Party: Sue Bradford, Keith Locke, Kennedy Graham, Metiria Turei, Russel Norman, Jeanette Fitzsimons, Sue Kedgley, Kevin Hague, Catherine Delahunty.

Maori Party: Te Ururoa Flavell (if votes), Hone Harawira, Rahui Katene.

NOT/ PROBABLY NOT VOTING
National: David Bennett, Jackie Blue, Chester Borrows, David Carter, Judith Collins, Chris Finlayson, Tim Groser, Nathan Guy, Tau Henare, Steven Joyce, Nikki Kaye, John Key, Todd McClay, Tony Ryall, Katrina Shanks, Nick Smith, Anne Tolley, Chris Tremain, Louise Upston, Michael Woodhouse.

Maori Party: Tariana Turia.

Labour: Phil Goff, Annette King, Trevor Mallard, Damien O’Connor.

* Spoiling ballot paper: Clayton Cosgrove, Rajen Prasad.

VOTING NO
National: Cam Calder, Tim Macindoe.

Act: John Boscawen, David Garrett, Heather Roy.

John Roughan: Don’t be deceived by McCoskrie and friends

August 2, 2009

There was a nice piece in yesterday’s Herald by John Roughan: Sinister undertones to referendum instigators, in which John rightly brings into question what Bob McCoskrie and friends mean by “correction”.  He concludes that what the instigators of this referendum are really after is the restoration of their right to give their kids a good hiding.

There is something very creepy about this smacking referendum now arriving in the mail. What exactly do the citizens behind this initiative, men like Bob McCoskrie, mean by “good parental correction”?

Their publicity pretends they mean nothing more than the smack that an anxious or annoyed parent might use to stop or prevent dangerous or offensive behaviour. But that can’t be all they want because the law now expressly permits the use of parental force for exactly those purposes.

Roughan lays out a detailed analysis of why the existing Child Discipline Law allows “good parental correction”, and concludes:

Those who initiated the referendum know what the new law says. They know it permits reasonable force for all the preventive situations they are fond of citing.

They pretend it does not because they could not attract majority support for the restoration of the right to flog children. Don’t be deceived by them. Should a smack, as part of good parental correction, be a criminal offence in New Zealand? Absolutely.

Read the full article.

Nurses say that the Child Discipline Law is working and must be retained

August 2, 2009

The New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation (NZNO) is supportive of the current child protection legislation.

Chief executive officer, Geoff Annals, is frustrated by the referendum question. “There can be little doubt that a better worded question could have been asked. The issue is whether it should be lawful to use violence against children.”

“As an organisation of 43,000 health professionals and carers we are clear that any steps that can be taken to protect our children from violence should be. The evidence shows this is a law that is working and must be retained,” Annals said.

“New Zealand has a shameful record on child abuse. Clearly our culture needs to change to view violence, in any form, as unacceptable,” Annals said.