Our View: It's about ensuring our young stay safe

Many parents will today welcome new technology that allows them to monitor their children's cellphone calls and text messages - and track their phone by GPS.
As this paper reports, the new software, now available in New Zealand, costs less than $50.
It is designed to prevent bullying, sexting and grooming, but as you'd expect, such technology is not without its critics.
Women's Refuge is concerned it could be misused by controlling and violent men.
This is a fair point and one of the downsides.
It is plausible that such men could use it to track partners or other family members and it is something that adults who find themselves in an abusive situation will need to take into account.
But arguments from the New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties that it is snooping and simply giving parents a chance to be "very controlling" over their children are far from impressive.
These libertarians say they are incredibly perturbed by the advancement and will be looking at whether it is legal or ethical.
We disagree and argue it gives parents and children choices.
If this software is used in the right way and not abused, it provides parents with an extra safeguard and peace of mind in an increasingly complex and dangerous society.
Children are growing up faster and being exposed at a younger age to potential dangers such as online and cellphone sexual predators, as well as bullying.
It is not unusual for intermediate-aged children to have mobiles.
The point is these children are just that - children.
They are young people living under the roofs of their parents or caregivers, and this automatically gives responsible, law-abiding adults the right to monitor and supervise - and importantly, care for - their children in a fair, responsible way, as they see fit.
In this regard, this cellphone technology is little different to monitoring the online habits of children and overseeing the type of magazines or books they read.
There will be some parents who find this software goes too far. Fair enough - this is their decision to make.
But this software at least gives parents, and to some degree children, options. If a young person objects to such big-brother tactics, they can always give up their phone.
There does come a point when such monitoring is not appropriate - and this will be dictated by the age and maturity of the teenager and family dynamic they live in.
Every situation will be slightly different.
A teenager of 17 is likely to be too old.
But a child of 12? Quite appropriate.