Calling it the “anti-smacking legislation” is wrong – the purpose of the legislation is to protect children from being beaten up by their parents. It’s aimed at changing the culture of violence against our children that we clearly have in NZ.
$10m is being wasted on the upcoming referendum on a ridiculously worded question. We’ve had the debate already, and the Child Discipline Law was passed by a margin of 113-8.
The legislation anticipated an education programme that never occurred. The $10m being spent on the referendum would have much better been spent on the education programme.
The real referendum question should have been, “Should we be able to beat our children with a horse whip or a piece of wood and get away with it in court”, as happened before this legislation was passed.
New Zealand was among the last countries in the industrialised world to ban corporal punishment in schools, but attitudes have now changed to the point where most parents would be outraged at any suggestion that teachers be allowed to take a belt, strap or cane to kids.
Bafflingly, though, it appears to be the location of the beating rather than the act itself that some of us object to. We don’t want kids being hit in the classroom, but we’re happy for them to be hit in the home.
Despite clear evidence that the world around us is chock-full of people who couldn’t successfully raise a family of tadpoles to adulthood, we believe anyone above the age of 18 can be trusted to use restraint, caution and common sense in deciding exactly how hard to hit the children in their care…
[N]early one child a week is admitted to Starship children’s hospital with serious injuries inflicted by an adult.
Her bottom line: It took generations for us to believe that it was unacceptable to beat children in schools. It will take generations for us to believe that it is unacceptable to beat children in our homes. But we have to start sometime.
That time is now. A YES VOTE supports a better future for our children.
Linley also questions the relationship between the media and and those responsible for calling this referendum on “a deceitful question”. Read the whole article.
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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