Media release

14 June 2009

Embargoed to 12.00pm

New Zealanders must vote yes in smacking referendum to save Maori children

All New Zealanders must vote yes in the up-coming referendum on smacking says Chair of Te Kahui Mana Ririki Dr Hone Kaa.

“This issue is especially important for Maori because our rates of child maltreatment are so high,” Dr Kaa said today.

“Maori children are twice as likely to be abused as other groups, and around half the children killed as the result of abuse in this country are Maori.

“Smacking sits on a continuum of violent behaviours against children and this includes the maiming and killing of our young ones. We must eradicate all of these behaviours.”

Dr Kaa says that Christians who support the physical disciplining of children are misguided.

“They are selective in their use of scripture. As Christians we should advocate on behalf of our most vulnerable and carry Christ’s message of love. Hitting children is not an act of love.”

“We must maintain the current law which protects our young ones from violence in the home.”

All registered voters will receive notification this week from the Chief Electoral Office that postal voting on the non-binding referendum on child discipline will be occurring between July 31 and August 21.

The Yes Vote supports the law as it now stands, following removal in 2007 of the right to a defence in child abuse cases of "reasonable force" in punishing a child. Te Kahui Mana Ririki is a member of the yes Vote Coalition.

The YES Vote coalition is a wide group of organisations supporting parents and the child discipline law.  We are working to ensure the retention of the law.  The coalition includes Barnardos, Plunket, UNICEF, Save the Children, Te Kahui Mana Ririki, Women’s Refuge, Childspace, Parent Centres and others. YesVote.org.nz.

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