PM between a rock and a hard place

The Kiwi Party
Press Release
26 August, 2009

Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock welcomed the news that John Boscawen’s bill was drawn from the Ballot only one day after the Chief Electoral Office released the final results of the referendum. This is good news for all those who want to see a smack no longer a criminal offence in this country.

If the PM thought he might hang tough while hoping the issue would die down, he is very much mistaken. At some point in the near future all the National Caucus will have a tough decision. They could continue their hypocrisy by voting against John Boscawen’s bill that is based upon National MP Chester Borrows' amendment they supported during the committee stage of Sue Bradford’s anti-smacking law, or vote for the bill and open up the select committee process and anti-smacking debate all over again.

Taking urgency and deleting Subsections 2 & 3 from Sec 59 of the Crimes Act, as I have proposed to the PM, might just be the best way forward. Who knows, if he acts quickly enough he might be forgiven for what many are considering to be an arrogant stand against the 87% of Kiwis that voted no in the referendum.

ENDS

© Scoop Media