Press Release For Immediate Distribution

With the current Section 59 in place, correction of children is the only acceptable excuse for using force with children. But Green MP Sue Bradford now says that correction of children is the one thing she wants to see specifically forbidden. She is happy to justify parents using reasonable force to prevent bad behaviour, but not to correct it.

The repeal lobby's rhetoric has tried to make us believe it was the "reasonable force" they wanted to ban. Their real agenda has been revealed in the Select Committee's amended version of Section 59 which Bradford help to write. It is the correction of children they want to ban, not the use of reasonable force. In their minds parents may compel children to stop behaving in a certain way, but they must not compel children to behave in a certain way.

The repeal lobby's re-write of Section 59 tolerates parents using reasonable force to prevent their children from conforming to harmful, criminal, offensive and disruptive behaviours. But they will not tolerate parents using reasonable force to ensure their children conform to obedient, honest, righteous and respectful behaviours. An agenda that is more anti-parent, anti-family, in fact, one that is more foolish, illogical, non-sensical and counter to all that makes for a peaceful and orderly society would be hard to imagine.

Dump this ridiculous Bill to repeal Section 59 once and for all.

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