Yes, we won in the referendum, but what happens now?
According to a comment from John Key this morning, he would take to Cabinet -
This is not good enough. It falls into the same status as the unwritten idea that gives Police discretion in whether to prosecute in situations where a child has been smacked. There is a reason why we write down laws: it is so that everyone understands them; lawyers, judges, police and the public can refer to them; use them to prosecute or defend; determine whether laws have been broken or crimes committed.
What is going to happen in 50 years when the "general understanding" around the issue has long passed from human memory? All that those in the future will have is what we have written down or prescribed in law - the law that must be obeyed and enforced.
That provides little "comfort" for me, or for the parents and future parents of this country.
The same article states that Yes Vote spokeswoman Deborah Morris-Travers said -
According to a comment from John Key this morning, he would take to Cabinet -
"options which fall short of changing the law but will provide comfort for parents about this issue"
This is not good enough. It falls into the same status as the unwritten idea that gives Police discretion in whether to prosecute in situations where a child has been smacked. There is a reason why we write down laws: it is so that everyone understands them; lawyers, judges, police and the public can refer to them; use them to prosecute or defend; determine whether laws have been broken or crimes committed.
What is going to happen in 50 years when the "general understanding" around the issue has long passed from human memory? All that those in the future will have is what we have written down or prescribed in law - the law that must be obeyed and enforced.
That provides little "comfort" for me, or for the parents and future parents of this country.
The same article states that Yes Vote spokeswoman Deborah Morris-Travers said -
New Zealand was still the only English-speaking nation that had banned physical punishment for children and other countries were watching to see if the ban would be reversed.What is the more embarrassing? To try an experiment, admit we were wrong, and change back, or to go on blindly ahead irregardless of the negative consequences (and there will be) to our children and our country? That is false pride - that was Labour's downfall - I hope it will not be National's as well."If we were to go backwards, I think it would be embarrassing for New Zealand."