Smacking made clear...

Micheal Laws gives his view on the anti-smacking

It won't save one Kahui, Lillybing or Coral-Ellen Burrows.

Which is the real problem with the liberal, white women who are chiefly responsible for this anti-smacking legislation. They think child abusers are like them. That putting up a "Stop" sign in parliament will amend their behaviour. It's like wearing a white ribbon to stop domestic violence - a meaningless gesture.

They will, in fact, achieve the opposite of their aim. They will make potential criminals of literally hundreds of thousands of New Zealand parents. We "correct with force" because we love, we occasionally smack so that we may save. And we have a very simple message for the Bradfords, Pillays and Riches of this world.

We don't tell you how to raise your kids. You don't tell us how to raise ours.

I couldn’t agree more. I have only once sent a submission to parliament and it was for this bill.

In my submission I said “This bill will not in any way reduce child abuse. The people that abuse their children are often living on the other side of the law anyway, and will not, and do not give a damn about the bill. They will still abuse their children.”

To make matters worse they are now trying to clarify what reasonable force is, as:

(a) preventing or minimising harm to the child or another person; or
(b) preventing the child from engaging or continuing to engage in conduct that amounts to a criminal offence; or
(c) preventing the child from engaging or continuing to engage in offensive or disruptive behaviour; or
(d) performing the normal daily tasks that are incidental to good care and parenting.

Well I am glad they cleared that up! - NOT