Australian Anti-Smacking Campaign

From the Daily Telegraph, Australia - 19 Jan 08

...Data from the new Parent Line shows discipline far outranks other concerns about children, with nearly 20 per cent of calls from mums or dads begging for advice on how to handle their toddler or troubled teen.

Experts [1] say mixed messages are leaving parents uncertain how to punish their children in a politically correct age when smacking is considered wrong. [2]

``Parents feel smacking doesn't work [3] and prefer not to use physical punishment, but are not sure what to put in its place,'' said Joe Tucci from the Australian Childhood Foundation (ACF), which is behind a push for a national anti-smacking law.

``We need to set a community standard that, under law, children can't be hurt [4] that is the kid of law we think should be introduced that would clarify it for parents,'' Mr Tucci said...

-----------------------------

Comments
1. So-called "experts" are not the people to turn to for advice on raising children.

2. Who says smacking is wrong? - I can absolutely guarantee you that the attitude to smacking in Australia will be very close to that of New Zealand.  In New Zealand, when the Government pushed through the anti-democratic and draconian Anti-Smacking bill, 83% of the population were opposed to the law change.

3. Well of course some parents feel that smacking doesn't work, however Joe Tucci is grossly misrepresenting the truth here.

4. All children get hurt from time to time as they grow up.  Whether if it's knocking their head on the side of the dresser, or getting a quick slap on the bottom for something they've done wrong.

In Summary, These "anti-smacking" lobbyists consistently ignore the rights of the majority of the population.  They push ahead with their agenda for social change - as Sue Bradford (introduced the Anti-Smacking bill to NZ Parliament) says "We've got to change this culture of violence".  They twist words and use emotive language to strengthen their argument, for instance, describing a loving smack as a beating.