To Smack or not to Smack - Nzone Focus - PART ONE

As we head into a postal referrendum on Section 59, the jury is still out on the resons for the repeal of section 59, what the law actually says and whether or not a smack should be part of good parental correction. We spoke to Sue Bradford, Bob McCoskrie, Bruce Pilbrow, Hone Kaa and law professor Warren Brookbanks to try an understand the current section 59.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• smacking
• correction
• child
• abuse
• violence
• family
• first
• parents
• inc
• green
• nzone
• focus

[headlessrd]

It should be a criminal offence to smack a child because any attempt to define an acceptable level of violence against a child leaves the law open to abuse, as occurred when "reasonable force" was still a legal defence in a case of child abuse.

Some have said that it is necessary to use force to prevent a child from being harmed. However the current law provides for the use of reasonable force to prevent a child being harmed, harming others or harming property.

[grraadd]

socialists again are trying to regulate every aspect of our live. The law protects EVERY person (of any age) from abuse - no need for new laws on that matter.