Press Release For Immediate Distribution
With the current Section 59 in place, correction of children is the only acceptable excuse for using force with
children. But Green MP Sue Bradford now says that correction of children is the one thing she wants to see specifically
forbidden. She is happy to justify parents using reasonable force to prevent bad behaviour, but not to correct it.
The repeal lobby's rhetoric has tried to make us believe it was the "reasonable force" they wanted to ban. Their real
agenda has been revealed in the Select Committee's amended version of Section 59 which Bradford help to write. It is the
correction of children they want to ban, not the use of reasonable force. In their minds parents may compel children to
stop behaving in a certain way, but they must not compel children to behave in a certain way.
The repeal lobby's re-write of Section 59 tolerates parents using reasonable force to prevent their children from
conforming to harmful, criminal, offensive and disruptive behaviours. But they will not tolerate parents using
reasonable force to ensure their children conform to obedient, honest, righteous and respectful behaviours. An agenda
that is more anti-parent, anti-family, in fact, one that is more foolish, illogical, non-sensical and counter to all
that makes for a peaceful and orderly society would be hard to imagine.
Dump this ridiculous Bill to repeal Section 59 once and for all.
Ends