Smacking bill passes first hurdle

Legislation that would remove the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents punishing their children has passed its first hurdle in Parliament.

Green MP Sue Bradford's member's bill will now go to a select committee for consideration, but both Labour and National have signalled that once there it could face radical change.

The bill, which was supported by Labour, the Greens, the Progressives and two New Zealand First MPs, passed its first reading by a margin of 65 votes to 54.

Its passing was greeted by applause from Parliament's public galleries.

The bill has won wide public support after high profile cases of parents dodging conviction despite beating their children with objects such as belts, canes, pieces of wood and riding crops.

But opponents say it will technically outlaw smacking and dramatically lift the number of social worker interventions in otherwise well-functioning families.

Labour and National have both suggested amending section 59 of the Crimes Act to more clearly define "reasonable force" rather than scrapping it altogether.

But Ms Bradford tonight said it was "patently ridiculous" for the bill's opponents to suggest it would lead to smacking arrests and increased Child Youth and Family (CYF) interventions.

The bill did not seek to criminalise smacking, but she acknowledged the issue generated fear for some parents.

One solution that could be considered by the select committee would be asking police to work with children's groups to establish clear public guidelines of what would constitute an assault warranting prosecution, once the bill was passed.

However she said the law must be changed.

"What section 59 does in practice is convey the message to all New Zealanders that the state thinks it is okay to use reasonable force against those who are... smaller, weaker and less mature than us."

- NZPA