It's official, the Section 59 Repeal is now a Government Bill. To be debated and passed whenever the Government wants. Yet, apparently this bill is not important to the Labour, according to Michael Cullen a couple of days ago.
Helen Clark has also compared the outrage New Zealanders feel over this to the opposition over homosexual law reform and then the civil union bill. I think she hopes to continue her line that Christians are the only people outraged and are whipping everyone else into a frenzy.
The only problem with this type of comparison is that both the homosexual law reform and civil union bill only impacted directly upon a minority of people. While as the Section 59 Repeal will impart directly upon the majority of New Zealanders. It's no longer one of those things that only affects people out there - it's going to affect all of us. Any parent who smacks will be committing a criminal offence.
The first two laws were also liberalisation laws, while as the Section 59 repeal is an authoritarian law, restricting freedom rather than expanding it. Which goes to show how authoritarian laws will always follow liberalisation. Increased freedom, or license to do as what one wants without regard for other people will lead to increased societal problems. Like our massive child abuse statistics that have followed the dramatic increase in single mothers following the liberalisation of divorce laws and societal relaxation of sexual norms. Therefore the natural outcome is increased interference in everyone's lives. The beginning of the end.
So, any bets on what they are going to do? Pass it now and hope the electorate forgets, given time, or wait until all the furore has died down and pass it then?
UPDATE: It's NOT a government bill yet. Labour are holding off on this one, even though everyone expects they'll make it a government bill. Could it be they are afraid of the heat on this one?
Helen Clark has also compared the outrage New Zealanders feel over this to the opposition over homosexual law reform and then the civil union bill. I think she hopes to continue her line that Christians are the only people outraged and are whipping everyone else into a frenzy.
The only problem with this type of comparison is that both the homosexual law reform and civil union bill only impacted directly upon a minority of people. While as the Section 59 Repeal will impart directly upon the majority of New Zealanders. It's no longer one of those things that only affects people out there - it's going to affect all of us. Any parent who smacks will be committing a criminal offence.
The first two laws were also liberalisation laws, while as the Section 59 repeal is an authoritarian law, restricting freedom rather than expanding it. Which goes to show how authoritarian laws will always follow liberalisation. Increased freedom, or license to do as what one wants without regard for other people will lead to increased societal problems. Like our massive child abuse statistics that have followed the dramatic increase in single mothers following the liberalisation of divorce laws and societal relaxation of sexual norms. Therefore the natural outcome is increased interference in everyone's lives. The beginning of the end.
So, any bets on what they are going to do? Pass it now and hope the electorate forgets, given time, or wait until all the furore has died down and pass it then?
UPDATE: It's NOT a government bill yet. Labour are holding off on this one, even though everyone expects they'll make it a government bill. Could it be they are afraid of the heat on this one?