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Key says no to Boscawen’s anti-smacking bill

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Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:00a.m. UPDATED AT 2:23PM

John Boscawen and Sue Bradford

John Boscawen and Sue Bradford

By Dan Satherley / Chris Whitworth
 
John Key has announced that National will not support ACT MP John Boscawen’s private members bill on the anti-smacking law, which was drawn in today’s member’s ballot.

The bill which would have allowed parents to use reasonable force to control their children is effectively dead in the water.
 
It was announced earlier today that the bill had been drawn.

Sue Bradford said on her official Twitter site that the bill's appearance is "unbelievable", coming only days after the results of a referendum on the law were released.

Over 87 percent of voters said 'no' to the controversial question: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?"

Mr Boscawen's bill would have, in its own words, made it "no longer a criminal offence for parents, and those in the place of parents, to use reasonable force for the purpose of correcting their children’s behaviour".

Ms Bradford described the bill as "very dangerous", and "must be opposed at all costs".

Member's bills are drawn at random from a ballot, so the timing of the bill's arrival is purely coincidental.

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Comments

30 Aug 2009 11:22p.m.

Sophia wrote:

I think we should have another referrendum. The question this time could be "Should the results of a referrendum bind the government to impliment what has been shown to be wanted by the majority of those who voted?"

30 Aug 2009 09:44p.m.

ZJ wrote:

Chill out people. A light smack will not put you in prison. The turnout for the referendum was very low, so alot of the country doesn't give a damn. If you really cared about the anti smackiing act, why didn't you vote for a party who would repeal it? National made their position very clear before the election. So anyone who voted National can't be too bothered about it, or too ignorant to find out National's postion.

27 Aug 2009 04:02p.m.

Mark wrote:

Well I take my hat of to you John Key,I for one was fooled.Before the election and indeed for a short time after you had me believing "here is a polatition with morals and listens to the people" how wrong I was.I now have no faith in anything John Key says,and even though the next election may be 2 years away I will not forget as we will still be living under this misguided and foolish law.

27 Aug 2009 02:46a.m.

Tim wrote:

David. This is not a complex issue. They could easily define it,if the politicians were interested in trying but they are not. So they won't.

26 Aug 2009 10:37p.m.

Paul wrote:

Maybe we need to visit JK in the BeeHive On mass and demand that he resign what say you fair minded people, shall we give him the respect he shows us!?

The ones that can read and understand, not you who think children should have rights greater than their parents, before they are adults!! you know who you are!!

Oh, Sue make sure you are there aswell, we will let you educate us on parenting : Yea rite!

26 Aug 2009 10:26p.m.

Paul wrote:

Come-on Journalists lets do some digging into why JK is so afraid of the UN and its insistence that NZ drop the rights of parents to decide the morals of children rather than the State!! This is the NEW WORLD ORDER ask JK.. he knows !!

26 Aug 2009 10:13p.m.

big rat wrote:

without question this will cost national.

26 Aug 2009 06:13p.m.

BLG wrote:

I think many people are going to withdraw support from John Key. It didn't take him long to fall prey to power corruption.

26 Aug 2009 05:24p.m.

David White wrote:

An ideal opportunity for "democracy" to really work. It's not a govt bill, so there's no harm to let it proceed. It would show a govt that REALLY LISTENS. Not one that promises reviews and reports to try to placate the 1.4 million who want this changed.

26 Aug 2009 04:50p.m.

simon wrote:

This is not what other media are reporting. Key is opposed to Boscawen's bill, they say.

Have you got this wrong?