I posted last year about the so-called “anti-smacking bill” that removed the defence of reasonable force for those accused of assaulting their children. It passed, but proved to be a subject of great media controversy and is widely tipped as being the moment that the Labour government passed its use-by date.
The Children’s Commissioner (I love that we have a Children’s Commissioner) has just released a report, One year on: Public attitudes and New Zealand’s child discipline law (pdf, 190K). It found general support for the new law:
…participants were asked about their support for the new law… Those who were aware of the law change (n = 681) were asked to use a 0 to 10 scale (where 10 means ‘strongly support’) to rate how much they support or oppose the law change. A majority (43 percent) said they firmly support it (7-10 on the scale), scale), while 28 percent were firmly opposed (0-3 on the scale)
Of course, silly lobby group Family First were quick off the block with their response, which leads with this wackiness:
there is an 80% opposition to the anti-smacking law…
This is pretty much a straight denial of reality. FF asserts that this research is consistent with 80% opposition to the law change, when it plainly is not. On FF’s topsy-turvy planet, up is down, black is white, and 30% opposition is 80% opposition.
Of course, the NZPA exercised the proper function of journalists, and ran FF’s nonsense alongside the Children’s Commission study results for “balance”, because clearly Bob McCoskrie’s ravings are equivalent to an independent study published with full methodology and results.
In summary: go away Bob McCoskrie; and, thanks, media!
But those academics don’t know anything, they just sit in their ivory towers making up numbers, rather than getting out into the real world with ordinary New Zealanders! Besides, I’ve got anecdotal evidence from my friend’s brother-in-law’s cousin’s postman which says they’re wrong! It’s just common sense! Nanny state! Aunty Helen! Political correctness gone mad!
But those academics don’t know anything, they just sit in their ivory towers making up numbers, rather than getting out into the real world with ordinary New Zealanders! Besides, I’ve got anecdotal evidence from my friend’s brother-in-law’s cousin’s postman which says they’re wrong! It’s just common sense! Nanny state! Aunty Helen! Political correctness gone mad!
So who voted for the Child Discipline Act again?
Well, uh, all but 7 MPs in parliament at the time. Our current PM was not one of those 7.
And who proposed the bill?
That would be a Green Party MP.
And yet it’s considered a failure for Labour. To me it seems more a failure of the media for their massive misrepresentation of the facts.
Yeah, I was really amazed at the gulf between what the bill was and what it was spun as, and the extent to which people still don´t seem to have a clue.
I have a family. I have several small children, all of whom are girls. And my opinion on Family First – and I say this with no small feeling, having considered the matter deeply, over many hours of reflection – is this.
Fuck them.
And the horse they rode in on.
That is all.
I’d be joining you Jack, except they really aren’t my type!:-)
I can say one thing without a shadow of doubt, they certainly don’t represent my wee family!