Reactions and Opinions
A broad selection of organisations – including child welfare groups, churches, women's groups and businesses – publicly endorsed the bill and made submissions in support of it.
Gordon Copeland resigned from United Future over the Bill since he did not agree with the party leader Peter Dunne's support for it. However, Copeland was not re-elected to Parliament at the New Zealand general election, 2008, although his political vehicle, The Kiwi Party, made that issue paramount in its election campaign.
Most public opposition to the Bill came from conservative Christian groups, who believed that it made even "light smacking" of children illegal. Multipartisan passage of the bill occurred after an additional clause was added stating that the bill did not remove police discretion on whether to prosecute in "inconsequential" cases when it was not in the public interest to do so.
During debate on the Bill a poster on the CYFSWatch website threatened Bradford. Google removed the website soon after from its Blogger service.
A survey carried out between May and June 2008 showed that more people supported the Act than those who did not. The survey, carried out by UMR Research for the Office of the Children's Commissioner, polled 750 people, of whom 91% were aware of the law change and 72% professed to know "a lot" or "a fair amount" about the legislation.
Results of the questions were:
- 89% of respondents agreed that children are entitled to the same protection from assault as adults. 4% disagreed and 5% were neutral.
- 43% supported the law regarding physical punishment of children, 28% opposed and 26% were neutral.
- 58% agreed there are certain circumstances when parents may physically punish children. 20% disagreed with the hypothesis and 20% were neutral.
- 30% agreed that physical punishment should be part of child discipline. 37% disagreed and 32% were unsure.
Read more about this topic: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007
Famous quotes containing the words reactions and, reactions and/or opinions:
“We have all had the experience of finding that our reactions and perhaps even our deeds have denied beliefs we thought were ours.”
—James Baldwin (1924–1987)
“Cuteness in children is totally an adult perspective. The children themselves are unaware that the quality exists, let alone its desirability, until the reactions of grownups inform them.”
—Leontine Young (20th century)
“Most advice on child-rearing is sought in the hope that it will confirm our prior convictions. If the parent had wished to proceed in a certain way but was made insecure by opposing opinions of neighbors, friends, or relatives, then it gives him great comfort to find his ideas seconded by an expert.”
—Bruno Bettelheim (20th century)