Parliament demonstrates principled leadership

Murray Edridge, Chief Executive of Barnardos New Zealand, expressed his delight this evening at the successful vote at the second reading of the Crimes Amendment Bill.

“This is an historic decision which continues the moves to remove an archaic law from the statute book,” he said. “Section 59 is a relic from an age when the head of the household could legally thrash his children, wife and servants.”

“Section 59 has nothing to do with modern parenting practice.”

Murray said he hoped that having shown such principled leadership to date, politicians would not be tempted to now define ‘reasonable force’. The issue is not the defence of some purported parental ‘right’, nor is it about making life easier for the Police. The issue is our poor national record in caring for children and the role Section 59 has played in protecting ineffective parenting practice.

ENDS

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