Nats to give cash from family body to churches
Dominion Post and Christchurch Press 09 September 2008
A National government will axe the Families Commission and give the savings to community groups, including churches, leader John Key has told a Family First forum. …
The National leader was questioned on the removal of section 59 of the Crimes Act, which took away the defence of reasonable force for parents who hit their children. National supported the legislation but has been under pressure from lobby groups such as Family First to repeal it. One man asked Mr Key whether he would restore his right to “discipline my child lovingly”. Mr Key said that he sought a compromise on section 59 because it was clear that Labour was going to force the bill through anyway. He repeated his previous pledge that if he saw evidence the legislation was not working he would repeal it. “To this point I haven’t seen such evidence.” But he added that if an upcoming referendum – which calls for parental correction through a smack to be lawful – gave a strong mandate for change then a future government would need to listen to the result.
Mr Key was also asked whether he supported a law change on abortion. He said it was a conscience issue, but he did not support any change to the existing law.
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