Proposed bill: "impossible for any sensible person to understand"
NewsTalk ZB - 14/03/2007 8:12:02
Rodney Hide is accusing the Maori Party of letting its people down over the anti-smacking bill.
The Maori Party has decided to support Sue Bradford's legislation. The ACT leader cannot see the wisdom of its decision. He says Maori families will suffer the most for having police investigating them for smacking their kids.
Rodney Hide says that is because they are the ones who tend to be in the lower socio-economic group and tend to be inarticulate.
Prominent members of the Pasifica community are also calling for MPs to reject Sue Bradford's bill. They are concerned the community's emphasis on suitable discipline - which is not necessarily abuse - will bring unwarranted attention from social workers.
Former Silver Fern Linda Vagana says corrective smacking, like stopping a child from touching something they should not, is not going to do much damage, and that is where the line should be drawn. She says the anti-smacking bill would only put unnecessary pressure on families to parent in a particular way.
Lawyers have also joined the chorus of voices opposed to the bill. The bill looks likely to be passed, now the Maori Party has decided it will not support any bid to water down the original proposal.
But Grant Illingworth QC says what is being proposed won't be enforceable. He says it is impossible for any sensible person to read the bill and know what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do.
Meanwhile, the MP who wants parents to be allowed to lightly smack their children - legally - is refusing to give up the fight. National's Chester Borrows concedes it is unlikely he will have the numbers to pass his amendment today, but he still hopes common sense and individual consciences prevail.
Mr Borrows says it is about whether it is in the best interests of children to have their parents prosecuted for smacking them. He says the debate has been skewed into whether smacking works or whether good parents smack or do not. Chester Borrows says he knows there are a number of Labour MPs who are conservative in nature, who do not want to vote against his amendment, but will be forced to follow the Party line.
Rodney Hide is accusing the Maori Party of letting its people down over the anti-smacking bill.
The Maori Party has decided to support Sue Bradford's legislation. The ACT leader cannot see the wisdom of its decision. He says Maori families will suffer the most for having police investigating them for smacking their kids.
Rodney Hide says that is because they are the ones who tend to be in the lower socio-economic group and tend to be inarticulate.
Prominent members of the Pasifica community are also calling for MPs to reject Sue Bradford's bill. They are concerned the community's emphasis on suitable discipline - which is not necessarily abuse - will bring unwarranted attention from social workers.
Former Silver Fern Linda Vagana says corrective smacking, like stopping a child from touching something they should not, is not going to do much damage, and that is where the line should be drawn. She says the anti-smacking bill would only put unnecessary pressure on families to parent in a particular way.
Lawyers have also joined the chorus of voices opposed to the bill. The bill looks likely to be passed, now the Maori Party has decided it will not support any bid to water down the original proposal.
But Grant Illingworth QC says what is being proposed won't be enforceable. He says it is impossible for any sensible person to read the bill and know what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do.
Meanwhile, the MP who wants parents to be allowed to lightly smack their children - legally - is refusing to give up the fight. National's Chester Borrows concedes it is unlikely he will have the numbers to pass his amendment today, but he still hopes common sense and individual consciences prevail.
Mr Borrows says it is about whether it is in the best interests of children to have their parents prosecuted for smacking them. He says the debate has been skewed into whether smacking works or whether good parents smack or do not. Chester Borrows says he knows there are a number of Labour MPs who are conservative in nature, who do not want to vote against his amendment, but will be forced to follow the Party line.
posted by Andy at
3:10 PM
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