MEDIA RELEASE
15 June 2008

Sports and Fielddays Crowds Give Anti-Smacking Petition Huge Boost

Family First NZ says that the numbers of signatures on the petition against the anti-smacking law and demanding a Referendum at the upcoming Election has been hugely boosted by a number of large events over the past 2 weekends.

“Over 12,000 signatures have been collected at the two recent All Blacks tests, a Warriors game, the Waikato Fielddays, and other sporting and community events,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“The signature count from the Fielddays alone was a whopping 8,700. It has certainly reinforced to us the strong feeling against this unpopular and ineffective law by typical NZ’ers who are attending these events. There is no shortage of people wanting to sign the petition.”

The organisers originally had a shortfall of 18,027 signatures after the audit of the original 324,216 signatures submitted in April. However, since then, more than 50,000 signatures have been collected. These will be submitted before the deadline of the end of the month.

“This confirms that a Referendum will be held on the anti-smacking law at the same time as the Election, it confirms that a huge proportion of NZ’ers want the law changed to protect good parents, and it sends a very clear and loud message to the politicians that they should listen to the views of the voters who will be making a choice at the upcoming Election.”

“It’s time to tackle the real causes of child abuse, violence and crime without criminalising the efforts of good parents raising productive and law-abiding citizens of the future,” says Mr McCoskrie.

“There is good reason that only 23 of the almost 200 countries have adopted this law. NZ can lead the world by being the first country to reverse this flawed law before its effects are fully felt by families and the community.”

ENDS

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