According to this morning's media reports, distribution of the voting papers for the so-called anti-smacking referendum has commenced, so we can all expect to find these in our letterboxes in the coming weeks. I would urge you to vote Yes. A yes vote will keep the current law as it is, and continue to criminalise the assault of children - effectively applying the same standards of behaviour and proof to both adults and children.
Retaining the law as it is currently written is supported by many of the groups that spend their days working on the front line of child poverty and abuse. My analysis may be overly simplistic, but if the professionals in Barnados, Plunket and UNICEF support the retention of the law, then I think I should endorse their view.
I will be voting yes, and I urge you to do the same.
Kent Duston
Editor
mtvictoria.org.nz
Was anyone else shocked at the wording of the referendum? By including the word "good" in front of "parental correction" does this become a leading question?
Seems so. Aren't less well-informed voters being led to think "well, if it's part of GOOD parental correction"...In order for the question to be truly neutral the Electoral Office should have worded it more carefully.
Childrens best interests are rarely served by police investigating their parents,or more ccommonly step-parents for alledged smacking (as opposed to bashing) offences.Having a parent with criminal charges (except where a serious offence has occurrred) rarely serves children well. If we are sincere about wanting to care for children we should seek to change behaviour through education. Those individuals inclined to put children in clothes dryers will not be deterred by any law.
While a simple law change won't magically stop child abuse, it has at least resulted in the prosecution of people who have punched their kids in the face or hit them in the head with a piece of concrete - offences that they may have been able to get away with before the law change. And surely that's a good thing.