Section 59 of the Crimes Act in New Zealand law permits parents to use reasonable force for the correction of their children. Sue Bradford's amendment to Section 59 which is now law, has removed this right of parents, effectively making everyday mums and dads, good parents up and down Aotearoa New Zealand into common criminals. Thanks to the new law, a light smack on the hand or bottom to correct your child is considered child abuse and as such, loving mums and dads of New Zealand are stood alongside pedophiles, child abductors and perverts and told that they are child abusers.
Section 59 was fine as it was, and did not need to be changed.
You do not have to be a rocket scientist to email all (or some of)the MPs with your petition that they repeal this ridiculous, damging piece of law, and return Section 59 of the Crimes act back to the way it was before.
Section 59 update:
John Key, Helen Clark and Sue Bradford and their respective parties have voted in favour of Peter Dunne's ammendment to Bradford's original anti-smacking bill. This ammendment states that Police will have discretion on whether the prosecute or not, if the force used was inconsequential, or if prosecution was not in the public interest.
Police discretion has always been in the law however, so this new "ammendment" does not infact change Bradford's poorly-written bill. The police commissioner has stated that the use of any implements in child-discipline will be subject to prosecution. CYFS will now have even more power to remove children from homes and split up families wherever they deem it appropriate.
Now that the law has passed, and has got the approval of the Governor General, what can we do? Don't let the MPs get away with ripping you off this time. Email them, write to them, phone them, visit them and tell them that you are angry at what they have done, and will they please change the law back to how it was before.
Tell your friends and family to do so as well!
