KEY POINTS:
Two weeks of intense public debate, opinion polls, advertising costing thousands of dollars and protest marches around the country seem to have done nothing to shake MPs' opinions on Sue Bradford's smacking bill.
And your views continue to flow in.
We asked for just a one-sentence message to MPs. Here is the latest selection:
Leslie
Too many of the smackers have written some very creepy things - about says it all.
Nicky
Next thing we know they will passing bills for when we can have a kiss and a cuddle.
Brian
They allow abortion but they want to outlaw smacking? Go figure.
Kim
We dont smack our children, so have no fear of this bill. People often comment how well behaved our children are too, so positive parenting works.
Adair Moors
This is not a democratic run Govt at present, and the sooner they are out of power the better!
Ian
The law would be unenforceable and do nothing to further discourage real violence against the young while disallowing the parent to right to administer reasonable corrective punishment.
Margaret
Surely children - who are smaller and more vulnerable - should receive at least the same protection as adults?
Stuart
Is this bill really about protection of our children or is it just another Labour ploy to undermine New Zealanders' traditional family values?
Di
Children are not yet adults and they dont have the same rights as adults because they are not yet mature and responsible enough. Therefore sometimes,some children may need a smack, when other forms of discipline have not worked.
Abdul Sitab
I am pretty sure there are other constructive things the MP can do apart from wasting the taxpayers money by trying to push such bills that a great majority of this whole democratic country strongly oppose.
Kristy Drake
Studies show that of the 5 countries with the lowest rates in child abuse, 4 of them allow smacking - clearly the government is barking up the wrong tree!
Nicola
The laws this Government have somehow managed to bulldoze through in the past have been anti-family and this is just another attempt.
Mark D'Silva
Emphasize the values of respect in all aspects of Family Life.
Stephen Muir
Becoming an MP does not immediately give someone higher moral authority or superior knowledge. They are supposed to merely represent us.
Daniel Goldwater
The NZ Govt. are control freaks determined to take away from every New Zealander the basic right to determine how their children will grow.
Mike Crook
Are you people absolutely mad, acceptance of violence of any sort is what leads to a Vietnam or an Iraq.
Dianne
A government that approves of 14,000 odd small NZers to be slaughtered in the womb annually has no right to tell us that the odd disciplinary smack is child abuse!!
Nigel F
If she thinks that this Bill will stop people from beating kids with bats and pipes because a statutory defence has been removed then she and the rest of the Politicians voting for it are dreaming.
Joel Lauterbach
This bill should be followed by educating people who know no better way to raise children than to smack them. The opposition to this makes me embarrassed to be a New Zealander. We currently do not even fulfil our requirements under the United Nations Childrens Rights.
John Miles
Smacking a child as a last resort to intolerable behaviour is an absolute right parents must have.
Matthew
Does the select committee expect parents to examine their motives before they use reasonable force? And how can anyone else (e.g. the police)tell what the motives of the parents are? This law is nonsensically drafted, and just makes the situation worse.
Jaqui Anderson
Stop using the excuse "I was smacked as a child and I'm ok" because its the lamest justification for smacking, that is being repeated over and over again.
David Fernyhough
Mild corporal punishment of children must be permitted. Common sense dictates what is justified discipline and what is abuse. Criminalising smacking is a nonsense.
Paul
It is naive for the parliamentary committee to say that the police wont act on minor allegations made by any misguided individual.If Helen Clark is that sure that she speaks for us all, (whether or not we happen to be parents), then she should allow all her members to vote the way they honestly feel.
June
I dont think the majority of New Zealanders actually understand the bill, you are not going to prison for smacking your child, the bill is not anti-smacking as such its more anti-abuse.
Sophia
Since when did MPs have a conscience? I am voting National just to get these idiots out.
Ray Craig
Good meeting procedure has always decreed that unless there is a clear mandate or majority for any significant change or radical move then there is an overwhelming responsibility to maintain the status quo. Drop the proposal and instead insist upon a greater adherence to our present laws.
Mike P
Since when did an MP whom wasn't even elected to parliament get to tell me how to bring up my kids? I will be voting National come next election if this is passed.
Emily
There is a lot of people here who are completely clueless as to what its all about. Listen to Plunket, Paediatric Society etc they know what they are talking about.
Susanne
This is a most dangerous, idiotic bill which if passed will only lead to anarchy and lawless behaviour of our young people.
Syd Bailey
No wonder 35,000 a year are leaving this country.
Trevor Lewis
You are willing to go against the wishes of 80 per cent of New Zealanders, isnt that called a dictatorship?!
Terry
Now the Clark led government expects us to have faith in, and believe in their review process, what an absurd joke.
Marona
The Govt should start listening to the public in what they are saying and get the public to vote and in the future before changing any other law, you guys should involve the public as our opinions do matter not the Govt..
Eve Brassey
This Bill is a complete waste of time & Government resources!
Marona
The Govt should be more specific, disciplining a child is including smacking a child as they need to learn from their mistake, bashing and murdering a child is a different story.
Eric
I dont know if anyone else has raised this point but it appears to me that any opposition to the Repeal of section 59 is nothing more than a "beat up".
Zhao Xiang
Dont we already have enough well-disciplined young people to vandalise the bus stations, race over the streets and abuse alcohol and drugs?
Canty Crusader
Come on New Zealand grow up and lets get it right for our children. There is no violence in Crusader rugby just fantastic tries and a winning way.
Allan King
Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.
Lynne
I dont believe you should smack kids - I never smacked mine more than a couple of times and they have never caused me a days problem. If I had my time over again I would not smack them at all.
Sarah
Child abuse is already illegal but it is still happening on a daily basis. How is an anti smacking law going to change this happening?
Chris
All this does is highlight the total and complete arrogance of politicians. Also, it shows up what a completely worthless political system is place where some idiot minority party with 1 or 2 seats can control the whole country. I have left NZ for this reason.
Blake
I have confidence that Police will prosecute when necessary, yet not prosecute parents that give their child a light smack on the bum. If parental discipline requires anything more than that and parents need to review there parenting techniques.
Lisa
I envisage ex-partners will use it against each other just out of spite and once again the children will be pawns in their nasty mind games, and it sure as heck wont stop those low-life persons who dont deserve to have children from continually abusing their children.
Cate
The point of this whole thing is to stop child abuse - which isnt going to change with repealing section 59 and making smacking illegal... This is crazy.
Leonie von Sturmer
If the anti smacking bill is passed, our striving and loving kiwi family of 4 will be leaving NZ, along with a number of like-minded friends. Its a bit like the saying "all the good men are married"; it will be a case of "all the good people are leaving!"
A Snyder
I think part of the fear about this legislation is not so much of government intrusion as it is of the softer, more empathetic culture that NZ might be turning into.
David
Bill supporters need to understand that there is no link between the number of parents who smack kids and the number of real abusers, so even if smacking was outlawed and much less parents smacked, the number of real abusers would remain exactly the same.
D.B.
Let us start by jailing every NZ parent who has ever smacked their child. I am sure it will stop child abuse, we all know child abusers are careful to follow the law.
Jo
Dont vote for this bill! What next - the government telling us how many children we are allowed to have, sounds like China!
Cordelia
It is a pointless bill, that will not deter those violent individuals from beating up their families, but instead will prevent sensible parents from disciplining their children, which is a huge difference from "assaulting" their children – any one with sense would be able to see that.
Gerard
We live in a plurist society and normal parents should be able to choose the form of discipline most appropriate to their family without the government intervention.
Niels
This could be a subtle anti-birth Bill as it would prevent Doctors and others giving a smack to a new born and in many cases prevent the first breath of life.
Peter McCormack
For once take notice of the real people in this country and let good parents be good parents.
Carolyn
Yes I have smacked my children (not beaten in anger) as it is the one method of many tried that works with minimum emotional harm to all involved and as it is my role as a parent to raise responsible, considerate and socially well adjusted children, I will continue to smack my children when all else fails.
Haunui R
Maybe all the people who want to retain the right to physically admonish their children would be better off spending their considerable energies investigating how thousands of kiwis manage to bring their children up without hitting them and still manage to produce children that are respectful,loving and motivated to succeed. Unless of course you quite like hitting them!
Aidan Reid
Ten years from now we will have a majority of criminals in our society because throughout their growth and development some parents are unable to discipline their children. A light smack is not abuse. Next thing they will close the jails because it is psychological abuse.
Trevor Sykes
Smacking bill a step forward but needs a lot of clarification/amendment/refinement.
Dianne Erasmus
Smacking doesnt hurt unless it is done in anger. This Bill will not stop child abuse - teaching parents to be better parents will.
Rodney Knight
Only an arrogant government would tell parents how to do their job because it is too inept to solely address excesses. Parents rights & responsibilities exceed those of governments.
Darryl Ward
It doesnt take a village to raise a child, it takes a mother and father who are prepared to set firm boundaries and have the courage to stick to them, which often may require the occasional smack.
Henrietta
The opponents of the Repeal of Section 59 Bill are living in the dark ages - Smacking children is not acceptable.
Reece
"Anti-smacking" is the wrong label. While "anti-child abuse" would probably be more appropriate, we should all endeavour to find out both sides of the argument before we get emotionally driven in this debate.
Tremain Tauhinu
Sue has said that this bill does not punish good, loving parents, well it does because to be questioned on by police whether you lightly smack your kid or not is just not right.
Ruediger Mack
I am totally against smacking and having raised my two children without smacking I know that it is the way to bring them up.
Brian Spicer
With 85 per cent of the public opposing this bill the debate is moving to another level, highlighting the truth that this government no longer sees itself as the "House of Representatives" but as an elected dictatorship!
Rachel
I have an education, a job, no criminal record, a clean driving record, no addictions, no record of bad behaviour at school and yes, I was smacked and dont regret it - I oppose this bill.
Jane Marjoribanks
Opponents of this bill are clearly misinformed, disingenuous or dinosaurs (oh yes - or Christians)
J Woods
80 per cent of the country are protesting to hit kids. Go labour, go greens, show the leadership this country is desperate for.
Wendy Maggs
I am totally against this bill as it will undermine parental authority. Anyone voting for this will not get my vote thats for sure. No to the anti smacking bill!
Howard & Sandra Dixon
83 per cent in the latest opinion poll is against this bill,wake up Sue Bradford - Helen Clarke and your followers...Before. its too late to stop.
Chris
Democracy is defined literally as "rule by the people" If the Labour government enacts laws that over 80 per cent of "the people" disgree with what does that make them? Simple a dictatorship.
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