Saturday, 5 May 2007

5 May 2007 - Family Integrity - Politicians Party over Parental Sellout

Press Release
For Immediate Release

Politicians Party over Parental Sellout

No matter how you slice it, Bradford's original intention in repealing Section 59 was to make criminals out of parents who dared to use any force, regardless of how light or reasonable, to correct their own children, a core responsibility of parenthood.

This amendment does not effect this intention one iota: which is why Bradford is so happy and did not pull the bill.

If this bill goes through, parents wanting to correct a child's bad behaviour or speech or attitude or values or morals will be committing a criminal act if any force of any kind is used. This is way beyond smacking, which significantly isn't mentioned anywhere in the bill. To correct a child is at the very least to force the parent's will on the child, however that is done: physical force; appeals to cultural, social, religious or traditional standards; warnings of loss of
privileges, intimidation, etc.

And to show how encompassing this criminalisation is, neither Bradford nor anyone else has yet bothered to define what "correction" means, even though it is about to become the latest crime to be added to the Crimes Act. Neither is the term "force" defined nor limited to only physical force.

Every parent in the country is under threat.

Craig Smith
National Director
Family Integrity

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