Hon John Key

Prime Minister
24 August 2009 Media Statement
Referendum: safeguards to give parents comfort

Prime Minister John Key today announced Cabinet decisions to introduce safeguards to give parents comfort they will not be criminalised for lightly smacking their children.

The safeguards follow the Citizens Initiated Referendum on smacking.

“The referendum result reinforces the message that New Zealanders do not want to see good parents criminalised for a light smack. To give parents comfort that this will not happen, Cabinet has agreed on a number of measures.” These are:

• The Police and Ministry of Social Development chief executive lead a review of Police and Child, Youth & Family policies and procedures, including the referral process between the two agencies, to identify any changes that are necessary or desirable to ensure good parents are treated as Parliament intended. The Commissioner of Police and Ministry of Social Development chief executive will seek an independent person to assist in the conduct of the review and will report back by 1 December 2009.

• Bring forward the delivery of the report from the Ministry of Social Development chief executive on data and trends and the effect of the law change from the end of the year to late September/early October. The Minister of Social Development will table the report in the House.

• Invite Police to continue to report on a six-monthly or annual basis for the next three years on the operation of the law, and invite Police to include data on cases where parents or caregivers say the force used on the child was reasonable in the circumstances.

“Cabinet has agreed that if future Police data indicates a worrying trend, the law will be changed to ensure that good New Zealand parents are not criminalised for lightly smacking,” says Mr Key.

“As I have said repeatedly I believe the law is working as intended, but I want to give parents an assurance that a National-led Government will continue to monitor the way the law is being implemented.”

ENDS

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