Boscawen's Bill Offers Solution For All

John Boscawen MP, ACT New Zealand
Wednesday, August 26 2009

ACT New Zealand MP John Boscawen was today delighted that his Crimes (Reasonable Parental Control and Correction) Amendment Private Member's Bill had been drawn from the Ballot and said that – in the wake of the Anti-Smacking Referendum result – it could not have come at a better time.

"More than 1.4 million people voted ‘NO' in the referendum, expressing their view that lightly smacking children for the purpose of correction should no longer be illegal. My Bill offers the Government the perfect opportunity to achieve this," Mr Boscawen said.

"Despite what the critics say, my Bill does not condone child abuse. It simply clearly defines the use of reasonable force for correction and states that the effect must be no more than transitory or trifling.

"The fact is that parents need certainty under the law and my Bill – by amending Section 59 of the Crimes Act – achieves that.

"Earlier this month Prime Minister John Key stated on TVNZ's ‘Breakfast' that National would have supported this amendment had the Party been in Government when the current law was passed. If he was happy to support it then, he should be happy to support it now.

"ACT is still the only Party listening to parents and supporting a law change. Ignoring the voice of 1.4 million people is anti-democratic. If Mr Key and National want to do the right thing they should listen to the people of New Zealand and support ACT by passing this Bill," Mr Boscawen said.

ENDS

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