Latest Smacking Poll – Same Result
Media Release
17 June 2009
Latest Smacking Poll –
Same Result
Family First NZ says the latest poll on smacking shows that the opposition to non-abusive smacking remains minimal and the law should be changed now rather than after a costly Referendum.
“The Yahoo online poll has had over 16,000 votes and shows huge support for parents using a smack for the purpose of correction,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ. “This poll simply reflects every independent poll done both before the law was changed and after the law was changed.”
The question asks “Is smacking an acceptable form of punishment for kids?”
35% (5696 votes) responded ‘Yes, if they need a short, sharp shock’ and 52% (8451 votes) said ‘Sometimes - if the situation demands it.”
Only 11% (1870 votes) said ‘No, it's never okay’, and 2% were undecided.
Family First is calling on the government to adopt the Chester Borrows amendment (subsequently introduced through a Private Members Bill from ACT MP John Boscawen) and establish a Commission of Enquiry into tackling the real causes of child abuse.
“We owe it to good parents to get this law right,” says Mr McCoskrie. “Let’s target the real causes of child abuse – not real parents.”
AFTER LAW
PASSED
Curia Research Mar 08
83% want law changed to allow light smacking
Research
International Feb 2008 74% parents
should be able to smack
Curia Research May 08
85% want law changed to allow light smacking
TVNZ June 08
85% NO - do you think anti-smacking law should stay
NZ
Herald Online Poll 25 June 2008 Should there
be a referendum on the smacking legislation at this year's
election?
Yes: 3746 (81%) No: 878 (19%) Total Votes:
4624
Otago Daily Times 28 June 08
68% up to parents to decide
(280 votes)
21% children should be legally protected
11% depends on the case
www.littlies.co.nz/ July 2008
One year on, do you think the anti-smacking Bill has proved
to be effective?
Yes (7%)
No (87%)
Unsure (7%)
NZ Herald Sep 08 Should
smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal
offence in NZ 86% No
Online 90% (2800 votes)
BEFORE LAW
PASSED
MARAE DigiPoll (1,000 Maori voters)
80%
Anti-smackingvote.co.nz Apr 2007 70%
(43,000
votes!)
http://www.antismackingvote.co.nz/poll+results
Zenago Internet Solutions
Treasures website
Apr 2007 85% (1972
votes)
Waikato Times Apr 4 2007
87%
TV3 TNS Mar 29 2007
69% (70% support smacking) **
TVNZ Colmar Brunton Mar 26
2007 83%
Research NZ Mar 26 2007
73%
Bay of Plenty Times Text Poll Mar 26 2007
94.6%
TV3 Website poll Mar 14 2007
89%
NZ News –Yahoo .com Mar 13 2007 92% (7643
votes)
TV3 News Poll Mar 2007
83%
NZ Herald Feb 2007
90% (3874 votes)
TVNZ website Feb 2007
87%
STUFF website July 2006
82% (6700 votes!)
TVNZ website July 2006
88%
Bay of Plenty Times May 2006
83%
Child Abuse Conference Feb 2006
82%
STUFF website Feb 2006
84%
Dominion Post Feb 2006
82%
STUFF website March 2005
86%
NZ Herald July 2005
71%
STUFF website June 2005
82%
ENDS