It is a simple question: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offense in New Zealand?". There are 390,000 people in New Zealand who were prepared to put their name to paper to have that question asked.
So what does Helen say?
"There is very little evidence I can see of parents being dragged before the court"
Well, quite frankly, so what?
The DomPost article today indicates Helen Clark doesn't see much sense in this petition. She doesn't see a problem. This is the person who bans smacking to end child abuse. The person who wants to ban bottle stores to end armed robberies. (Not to mention that alchohol is also sold at Woolworths, Pak N' Save, New World, 4 Square and Countdown supermarket chains all over New Zealand).
The issue here is that sending a message to people who abuse children by making smacking illegal for every parent is as undesirous as banning driving to send a message to people who excessivley speed. You don't make driving illegal, and then let off the people that are driving safely after putting them through an interview with 5 policemen.
And dragging parents before the courts? Dont make me laugh. 90% of issues with parents and children happen at the CYFS level, and they can remove children without a court case. They have also proven in New Zealand that they can remove children from parents even if the court finds the parents not guilty of the charge. And Family Court gets to keep this all secret. Family Court proceedings are not open to the public. Journalists have limited access, and are bound by strict privacy rules. We would need to have full access to CYFS cases and Family Court proceedings to test the validity of this claim.
Whatever the position on smacking, one thing we should respect in New Zealand is that we have nearly 400,000 signatures who think making a smack administered in discipline should not be a criminal offence, and who believe that the current law is one waiting to be abused.
This petition has the numbers. It could easily be included in the upcoming election. That would be the most effective and efficient time to ask it.
The people of NZ want a simple question asked.
Will the people be allowed to ask it?
So what does Helen say?
"There is very little evidence I can see of parents being dragged before the court"
Well, quite frankly, so what?
The DomPost article today indicates Helen Clark doesn't see much sense in this petition. She doesn't see a problem. This is the person who bans smacking to end child abuse. The person who wants to ban bottle stores to end armed robberies. (Not to mention that alchohol is also sold at Woolworths, Pak N' Save, New World, 4 Square and Countdown supermarket chains all over New Zealand).
The issue here is that sending a message to people who abuse children by making smacking illegal for every parent is as undesirous as banning driving to send a message to people who excessivley speed. You don't make driving illegal, and then let off the people that are driving safely after putting them through an interview with 5 policemen.
And dragging parents before the courts? Dont make me laugh. 90% of issues with parents and children happen at the CYFS level, and they can remove children without a court case. They have also proven in New Zealand that they can remove children from parents even if the court finds the parents not guilty of the charge. And Family Court gets to keep this all secret. Family Court proceedings are not open to the public. Journalists have limited access, and are bound by strict privacy rules. We would need to have full access to CYFS cases and Family Court proceedings to test the validity of this claim.
Whatever the position on smacking, one thing we should respect in New Zealand is that we have nearly 400,000 signatures who think making a smack administered in discipline should not be a criminal offence, and who believe that the current law is one waiting to be abused.
This petition has the numbers. It could easily be included in the upcoming election. That would be the most effective and efficient time to ask it.
The people of NZ want a simple question asked.
Will the people be allowed to ask it?