3 March 2007 - TVNZ - Lawyer hits back at Bradford
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411368/1010071
Lawyer hits back at Bradford
Mar 3, 2007
The lawyer who has upset Sue Bradford with his interpretation of her anti-smacking bill says it does little good to shoot the messenger.
United Future MP Gordon Copeland has presented findings from Peter McKenzie QC, who believes the bill will make potential criminals of parents using any force, such as placing a child on a naughty mat. Copeland claims the bill will result in ludicrous outcomes.
But Bradford says that is not the case and she calls the legal opinion flawed and a wilful misrepresentation of her bill.
"My bill, as amended in select committee, explicitly states that parents can use reasonable force on several grounds, including 'preventing the child from engaging or continuing to engage in offensive or disruptive behaviour, or 'performing the normal daily tasks that are incidental to good care and parenting'".
McKenzie says he is happy for people to look at his assessment and make their own judgement.
McKenzie has represented several groups such as Right To Life, the Society for Protection of Community Standards, and Viewers for TV excellence.
A final vote on the bill, which repeals section 59 of the Crimes Act - which gives parents the right to use reasonable force on their children - will take place in around a fortnight.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment