Parents will not be criminalised for lightly smacking their children
Police and MSD Chief Execs will lead a review of policies to identify any changes necessary or desirable to ensure that good parents are treated as parliament intended, to report back by 1 December 2009.
Police will continue to report on the law for the next three years, and specifically include data on where the parents believed that the force used was reasonable in the circumstances. If parents are truly being criminalised for lightly smacking their children, Parliament will have to look at changing the law.
Chair of Te Kahui Mana Ririki Dr Hone Kaa said today that he is delighted with the government’s response to the citizen’s initiated referendum on smacking.
“Prime Minister John Key has maintained his position – the current law is working well and at this stage he has no intention of changing it.
“I am delighted that New Zealand will retain a law which effectively makes the physical punishment of children illegal.”
“This is especially important for Maori because our child abuse rates are so high.
“We must continue to promote a policy of zero tolerance of violence towards our young ones.”
Maori participation in the referendum was low with around a third of Maori voters taking part. 11.2% of those Maori voters voted yes to the question “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand”, and 88.8% voted no.
“We have always argued that the question was misleading.
“The debate has really been about the rights of children to live in homes that are free from violence and that right has been upheld.”
Children’s Commissioner John Angus and Family Court lawyer Katrina McLennan were intereviewed on Morning Report today. Key points:
The legislation is working well for children and parents
We’re not seeing lots of parents being investigated and dragged before the courts
The law has given assurance to children and says that violence against children is totally unacceptable, that they should be protected from assault the same as anyone else
The law has given legitimacy and reinforced bystanders getting involved where they see a parent assaulting their child, as in the Jimmy Mason case
The law will not end child abuse in NZ overnight, but it’s an important first step
Allowing smacking sends a message that violence is acceptable
The Police and Child Youth and Family are not unduly targeting parents
Katrina asks, is this about protecting children or protecting parents? Which is more important?
According to an article in The Herald headlined “US funding for ‘no’ vote”, one of the core groups behind the referendum and Vote No campaign has received over $1m in funding from a conservative American religious group. Funding has increased recently to over $200,000 per year.
Focus on the Family’s US spokesman Gary Schneeberger said his organisation involved itself in political debate: “We absolutely do – and certainly in the United States we have advanced Biblical values in the public square, without question.”
Are we allowing foreign political interests to meddle in New Zealand’s electoral process? If so that’s very scary!
Read the full article at the herald to learn more.
The Boston Globe reports on recent US research on smacking. Some quotes from Murray Straus, founder of the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampsire:
“Suppose there are two medicines that work, but one has harmful side effects that don’t show up for 10 or 20 years. Even if one dose has only a tiny chance of an adverse effect, I think parents would want to avoid that risk. That’s the way they should think about spanking” –
When asked, “Can you think of a situation when it’s OK for a husband to slap a wife in the face,” almost half of those who had grown up being spanked regularly (three or more times a week) said yes.
“If you want your child to grow up to be the kind of person who reasons instead of hits,” he says, “I can’t imagine why any parent would ever spank.”
In a Morning Report story today, Paediatrics Society spokesperson Russell Wills says that attitudes toward violence are changing. Parents are now approaching medical professionals saying, “I know I’m not allowed to hit my kids – can you help me?”.
The story points out that in the 2007-2008 CYF reporting year, although notifications involving smacking are up, cases requiring futher action have dropped – indicating that the law is working.
Dear NZ: Save The Children Sweden has launched a new website, www.dearnz.com to tell New Zealand what the rest of the world thinks about our referendum.
They’ve also set up a Twitter account, @nzabuse, to show real time comments.
It just goes to show that what’s happening here in Aotearoa is of international importance.
We are not alone, and the whole world is watching.
If you are going to use or distribute material from our campaign in any way, eg remixed or mashed up, please ensure that your actions are compliant with the relevant legislation, as the Yes Vote Coalition cannot take responsibility for actions beyond our control or knowledge.
The bottom line is that we want to play by the rules. We appreciate your support, but please act ethically, thoughtfully, and within the law.
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