The Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007 (formerly the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill) is an amendment to New Zealand's Crimes Act 1961 which removed the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents prosecuted for assault on their children.
The law was introduced to the New Zealand Parliament as a private members bill by Green Party Member of Parliament Sue Bradford in 2005, after being drawn from the ballot. It drew intense debate, both in Parliament and from the public. The bill was colloquially referred to by several of its opponents and newspapers as the "anti-smacking bill". The bill was passed on its third reading on 16 May 2007 by 113 votes to seven. The Governor-General of New Zealand granted the bill Royal Assent on 21 May 2007, and the law came into effect on 21 June 2007.
A citizens-initiated referendum on the issues surrounding the law was held between 30 July and 21 August 2009, asking Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?. Despite widespread criticism of the question's wording, the referendum was returned with an 87.4 percent "No" vote on a turnout of 56.1 percent.
Read more about Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007: Legal Context, Social Context, Political Context, Debate and Aftermath, Reactions and Opinions, Referendum Proposals
Famous quotes containing the words crimes, section, amendment and/or act:
“As you from crimes would pardoned be,
Let your indulgence set me free.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Every man has been brought up with the idea that decent women don’t pop in and out of bed; he has always been told by his mother that “nice girls don’t.” He finds, of course, when he gets older that this may be untrue—but only in a certain section of society.”
—Barbara Cartland (b. 1901)
“The First Amendment is not a blanket freedom-of-information act. The constitutional newsgathering freedom means the media can go where the public can, but enjoys no superior right of access.”
—George F. Will (b. 1934)
“When sins are dear to us we are too prone to slide into them again. The act of repentance itself is often sweetened with the thought that it clears our account for a repetition of the same sin.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)