The two faces of John Key
Media Release — 24 August 2009
John Key Was Right
Family First NZ says that what Prime Minister John Key will propose today in response to the anti-smacking law Referendum is in direct contrast to his views two years ago.
In a speech to the Salvation Army in April 2007 just before the law was passed, he said:
“Proponents of the bill say that doesn’t matter; that in reality no one is ever going to be prosecuted for lightly smacking their child. But if the reality is that no one is ever going to be prosecuted for lightly smacking their child, then don’t make it illegal. Don’t make it a crime. It’s poor law-making to write a very strict law and then trust the police and the courts not to enforce it strongly. The law shouldn’t depend on which police officer or which judge or which jury you happen to get on the day.”
“As I said before, the way you send a message is to make the law clear and precise and then to police it strongly and vigilantly. My colleague, Whanganui MP Chester Borrows, has put forward an amendment to Sue Bradford’s Bill that would do this. In my view, this is the correct response, and the one Parliament should adopt.”
“John Key is completely correct and these views are echoed by legal experts including Grant Illingworth QC, Otago University law lecturer Professor Rex Ahdar, and Jim Evans who is emeritus professor of law at Auckland University,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
Family First is calling on the Prime Minister to decriminalise light smacking and to establish a Commission of Enquiry into identifying and targeting the real causes of child abuse.
More than 400 emails have been sent to members of Cabinet in the last 12 hours by families supporting this call.
ENDS
For More Information and Media Interviews, contact Family First:
Bob McCoskrie – NATIONAL DIRECTOR
Mob. 027 55 555 42
Source:
http://www.familyfirst.org.nz/…/24_08_09_john_key_was_right.html
Only one reply for me from “Hon. Murray McCully (MIN)” Aug 26 (1 day ago)
“The Prime Minister has announced that the Government is introducing safeguards to give parents comfort they will not be criminalised for lightly smacking their children.
The safeguards follow the Citizens Initiated Referendum on smacking. The referendum result reinforces the message that New Zealanders do not want to see good parents criminalised for a light smack.
To give parents comfort that this will not happen, Cabinet has agreed on a number of measures. These are:
· The Police and Ministry of Social Development chief executive will lead a review of Police and Child, Youth & Family policies and procedures, including the referral process between the two agencies, to identify any changes that are necessary or desirable to ensure good parents are treated as Parliament intended. The Commissioner of Police and Ministry of Social Development chief executive will seek an independent person to assist in the conduct of the review and will report back by 1 December 2009.
· We will be bringing forward the delivery of the report from the Ministry of Social Development chief executive on data and trends and the effect of the law change from the end of the year to late September/early October. The Minister of Social Development will table the report in Parliament.
· The Government will invite Police to continue to report on a six-monthly or annual basis for the next three years on the operation of the law, and invite Police to include data on cases where parents or caregivers say the force used on the child was reasonable in the circumstances.
If future Police data indicates a worrying trend, the law will be changed to ensure that good New Zealand parents are not criminalised for lightly smacking.
The Government believes the law is working as intended, but we want to give parents an assurance that a National-led Government will continue to monitor the way the law is being implemented.”
More of the same…
Jonathan Coleman (MIN) (2 hours ago)
Thankyou for writing to me.
I know this is an issue on which people have strong feelings. I’ve noted the points you’ve made.
Kind regards
Jonathan
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