Alliance backs children's organizations stance in child hitting referendum

Alliance Party media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday 19 June 2009

Alliance Party co-leader Kay Murray says the Kiwi Party sponsored referendum "should a light smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand" is a waste of $9 million that could be better spent supporting struggling families.

Ms Murray says there is a large amount of misinformation surrounding the referendum.

She says the final wording of an amendment to section 59, drafted after the wording of the petition was finalized, gives the Police discretion not to prosecute in cases of inconsequential assault.

"In other words, whether or not a light smack can be considered good parental correction, it is definitely not a criminal offence in New Zealand as the law stands at the moment."

The petition calling for the referendum was launched before people had the chance to become familiar with the changes to the law.

It was worded in an obtuse way to make it appear that anyone who had ever smacked their children was a criminal under the changes to the law.

"The $9 million budgeted for this referendum could be given to Plunket instead to provide more support for parents of young children."

Ms Murray says the referendum was promoted by groups of the extreme religious with connections to similar groups in the United States.

"The extreme religious right tends to view children as inherently evil and needing to be disciplined in to being good."

Ms Murray says there was no indication of the groups backing the petition on either the petition itself or the accompanying information sheet.

In fact the information sheet was headed up with the offensive and misleading title "Help Fight the Home Invasion", that seeks to draw a bizarre parallel between a law to stop child beating with criminal gangs invading homes.

Ms Murray says she believes that if the referendum does go ahead people should ignore Messrs Key and Goff's advice not to vote.

She says people should instead take the advice of Plunket, Barnardos, Women's Refuge, Save the Children, Unicef, Parent's Centre and other organizations whose work to protect children.

These organizations strongly recommend that people vote "Yes" - as does the Alliance Party.

ENDS

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