The latest report from police reviewing the impact of the anti-smacking law only highlights how flawed this legislation is, with 86 percent of all families investigated – for smacking or minor acts of physical discipline – receiving a warning only, ACT New Zealand MP John Boscawen said today.
“Instead of focusing on the real causes of child abuse, valuable police resources have been tied up investigating and reporting on the anti-smacking law; meanwhile child abuse rates have continued to soar,” Mr Boscawen said.
“Instead of continuing to waste police resources over the next three years investigating and issuing reports on a law which has had no impact on child abuse, the Government should change it and give law-abiding parents the certainty that they asked for.
“When talking to Michael Laws last year Prime Minister John Key admitted that the law ‘basically says that you can’t smack your kids’. This problem could be easily fixed by adopting my private members Bill which would amend the law.
“Police resources would no longer be wasted and law-abiding parents would have certainty – which is all they have ever asked for,” Mr Boscawen said.
Tags: anti-smacking