Press Release For Immediate Distribution

Talk of MP Sue Bradford considering amendments to her Bill to repeal Section 59 is just a smokescreen.

The only amendments Bradford will consider are Clayton amendments, ones to make it clear parents can still pull children from harm's way or restrain them from doing damage to selves or others or property. But such amendments are totally unnecessary since they are already covered in Sections 41, 48, 52, 53, 55 & 56 of the Crimes Act.

Bradford says she will not budge from her intention, spelled out clearly in the Bill's Explanatory Note, to make it an act of criminal assault to use reasonable force to correct, train or discipline children.

This is utterly irrational. It means if Section 59 is repealed, there will be a massive increase in the kinds of behaviours now considered unreasonable and against the law: namely, any use of reasonable force to train your own children to be good citizens. Parents will have less protection in law than prostitutes.

ENDS

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