The smacking debate goes on

"I had not expected a serious campaign to overturn last year's amendment to Section 59 of the Crimes Act to be part of the election year, but now we have at least one political party, ACT, who seems prepared to go to the polls on a platform of re-legalising the hitting of children."

So says Sue Bradford.

ACT wants parents to be able to raise their children as they see fit, not as the state sees fit. If parents inflicted harm on their children laws existed to deal with that.

There are a number of countries which have rejected calls for anti-smacking legislation - Australia and the UK are just two - preferring the status quo. Public opinion has held sway. In New Zealand public opinion lost. ACT should make no apologies for standing, in this case, firmly with the majority. And they shouldn't tolerate that position being misrepresented by Sue Bradford.