http://www.stuff.co.nz/4593757a10.html
“The Office of the Clerk will check the petition over the next two months and if the threshold was met the Government would have one month to name a date.”
23 June – 23 Aug – Clerk will check the petition
23 Aug – 23 Sept – Government would have one month to name a date for the CIR (preferably the same time as the election to save the tax payer millions of $$$$).
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4593757a10.html
Material provided by the Government showed over the six months between September and April police attended 288 child assault incidents.
In the three months prior to this 111 incidents were attended.
Of the 288 incidents, 13 involved “smacking”,
This was up from three in the previous period.
None of the incidents resulted in a prosecution.
Of the 288 incidents, 69 involved “minor acts of physical discipline.
Of those only four resulted in prosecution, one did not proceed and was treated through diversion.
Three other alleged offenders have remanded on bail and are due to appear in early July.
The Kiwi Party
They will not drown out the voice of the people!
Kiwi Party Leader and Tauranga electorate candidate Larry Baldock will today resubmit to the Clerk of the House the petition calling for a referendum on the Anti-smacking law that was passed by Parliament in May 2007.
The petition was first presented on Feb 29 this year with 324,511 signatures but was deemed to have insufficient valid signatures after the audit process had been carried out. The required number to force a referendum is 285,027 and the petition fell short by approx 18,000.
The CIR Petition Act 1993 allows for an extension period of up to 2 months for the petition sponsor to gather further signatures and then resubmit all the signatures again. The Clerk of The House then conducts a completely new audit process on a new 1 in 11 sample to determine if a referendum is to be held.
Mr Baldock said he was very confident that they now had sufficient signatures to ensure a referendum goes ahead.
“Over the past 15 months we have collected more than 390,000 signatures all over this country. That means we are now handing in 100,000 more than required and more than 60,000 new signatures since we first handed the petition in just over 3 and half months ago.
“Quite frankly I do not know who Sue Bradford, Children’s Commissioner Cindy Kiro, and Barnardos Chief executive Murray Edridge are trying to kid when they claim that attitudes have changed. I would like to see the supporters of this crazy ill-conceived law try and collect even 100,000 signatures in support of it, let alone the nearly 400,000 we have collected, the Kiwi Party leader said.
“Why are these people so afraid of democracy?
In Tauranga last week National Party leader John Key said he was not going to change the law if he became Prime Minister. In response to a question from the floor, he said that he would only make changes if he saw good parents being prosecuted.
“Personally I find that most disturbing,” said Mr Baldock. “John Key seems to be catching Parliamentary flu, that sickness which afflicts so many of our political leaders and causes them to believe they know better than the people who elected them to their positions of responsibility.
“The only acceptable response to the referendum is for John Key, Helen Clark, Peter Dunne, and Jim Anderton to promise the people of New Zealand that they will lay aside their personal opinions on the subject of how good parents should correct their children, and give their solemn commitment to abide by and implement the majority view of the people of New Zealand.
“Winston Peters, who has held the balance of power for the past three years could have stopped the Bradford Bill in its tracks. Once again he has showed everyone that he was more interested in enjoying the baubles of office around the world, than representing good families in need of a voice here at home.
“Our success in collecting these signatures has in part been helped by the fact that many voters have had enough of being ignored by arrogant politicians. This Bradford anti-smacking law has been the latest example of a blatant disregard for our democracy as parliament has passed a long line of laws against the will of the majority of New Zealanders. I am determined not to let them get away with this one,” said Mr Baldock.
Ends
Larry Baldock
Party Leader
Phone: 021 86 4833
Email: l.baldock@xtra.co.nz
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10517590
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=139400
Family First is confident it now has enough signatures to force a referendum on the anti-smacking law.
This weekend marks the first anniversary of Sue Bradford’s controversial legislation.
In April, the group’s petition failed as it was short of 18,000 valid signatures.
But Family First director Bob McCoskrie said 60,000 new signatures would be presented to Parliament on Monday and should be more than enough to get a referendum.
Mr McCoskrie said the intention of the legislation was to tackle child abuse, but it had missed the mark completely.
He said prosecutions against parents for hitting their children were starting to come into the courts.
The real causes of abuse need to be dealt with and good parents should be left alone, he said.
– NEWSTALK ZB
From:
http://www.starstuddedsuperstep.com/2008/06/joe-bennett-unleashed.html
A brilliant excerpt from an interview with Joe Bennett, aptly entitled, “Joe Bennett Unleashed” – written up by Zoe George, and found in the April/May 2008 edition of the Canterbury Today business magazine.
Child abuse is a topic of great discussion among New Zealanders, particularly in the wake of Sue Bradford’s controversial anti-smacking bill getting the governmental nod of approval last year. A move some could say hand delivered ‘nanny-state’ accusers gift-wrapped, iron-clad evidence.
Many believe this legislation removed the rights of good parents to parent properly and does nothing to prevent abusers of children from abusing. Joe feels very strongly against child abuse, but not in the sense most of us think of it as.
“Real child abuse is having a kid go through the state education for 12 years and coming out unable to read and write. It’s like we are tying a ball and chain around their leg and then we are amazed that they become criminals. If we can’t produce literate children then don’t look at the children, it is the system that has let them down.”
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/10397/child-discipline-law-one-year-old-tomorrow
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4591239a11.html
As the first anniversary of the so-called anti-smacking legislation rolls around, campaigners will again present a petition trying to get the law overturned.
But the architect of the bill, Green MP Sue Bradford, says the new law is working well and should be left alone.
The first anniversary of the controversial law is tomorrow, a day Unicef says is cause for celebration.
Ms Bradford’s legislation amended section 59 of the Crimes Act to remove the defence of reasonable force for parents who physically discipline their children.
The amendment, which was supported by the overwhelming majority of Parliament, gave police discretion to judge whether a reported offence warranted prosecution.
There is to be a review of the law next June, two years after its introduction.
Unicef executive director Dennis McKinlay said fears that good parents would face charges for minor infringements of the law had been well and truly laid to rest.
“Police and the public have shown that this law works well and that parents can find better and more constructive ways to discipline and guide children than hitting them,” Mr McKinlay said.
However, Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock and supporters will on Monday again present signatures on a petition trying to force a referendum that would ask the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand.”
When the petition was presented earlier, supporters had collected 324,316 signatures, but after these were checked for validity there were only 269,500 — less than the 10 percent of enrolled voters which has to be reached for a referendum to be held.
Mr Baldock today said the petition, to be presented to the Clerk of the House on Monday, would be checked and a random sample audited over the next two months to see whether the 285,027 signatures were valid.
Collecting signatures for the CIR – Section 59
Wellington
*Wayne is keen to swamp the All Black test match against Ireland, all
hands on deck would be much appreciated.
Wayne can be contacted on
021308679
wellington@unityforliberty.net.nz
Auckland
The big push is happening in Auckland,
Our big push starts with the Warriors game on Friday night, ticket sales
start at 2pm and the gates open at 5pm, our intention is to start
gathering from 2pm onwards. If we could muster 20 or 30 folk there is no
reason why we could not realize 2-3000 sigs in the one evening.
All areas
Saturday, I encourage the targeting of your local sports fields, we had
a great response from Papakura last week. If you feel a little
apprehensive about this then the irony is that you are probably the
right person for the job. We have found the best and most successful
approach has been a “quiet excuse me sir/madam, we have a petition you
would like to sign”, works 99.9% of the time.
Saturday night, you can use your imagination, I intend on visiting a few
of the local bars.
Auckland the weekend of June 7 & 8 through to June 14th June.
It will be tables on footpaths in normal shopping areas, (not malls) for a
few hours everyday over lunchtimes. Can I please hear from anyone who
could volunteer some time for this in Auckland
Craig Hill
You can contact me on mobile 021746113
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Hamilton to include efforts at Mystery Creek June 11-14th
Larry Baldock
Phone: 
021 86 4833
Email: l.baldock@xtra.co.nz
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All areas and other people
It would be fabulous if we all collected what we can over the next three weeks and we were surprised that our total could even grow to 390,000 to match the number in the film ‘Amazing Grace’ where William Wilberforce rolled out the petition in the House of Commons and shouted, “No matter how loud you shout you will not drown out the voice of the people!”
If everyone reading this could spend even 1 hour at a table on the street and collect just another 40 signatures we could do it!
Let’s make sure they hear us!
Remember to ask if people have already signed. No duplicates!
The CIR Petition
With only two weeks till we have to submit the petition back to the Clerk of the House to check for validity, NOW is the time to sign in order to have some democracy over the “anti-smacking” law.
Please go NOW to
Download the petition + FaQ (3 pages)
Download the petition only (1 page)
and print it, sign it, and post them into P.O. Box 9228 Greerton, Tauranga.
Also you could email your friends and family and ask them to sign it, or alternatively take it into work. You will be amazed by the positive response. Or do both
11 April 2008 – Family Integrity #366 — CIR Update no. 25
Forwarded to Family Integrity members by Craig Smith for your information.
Craig Smith
—–Original Message—–
From: Larry Baldock [mailto:l.baldock@xtra.co.nz]
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CIR Update no. 25 |
April 11,2008 |
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| Hi Everyone,Once again we awaken to the news of another family affected by the Anti-Smacking law. I have attached my press release for your information.They said no good parents would be prosecuted! Now I expect they will say, we actually meant no good parents would be sent to prison. Trust me; they will never admit they were wrong! That is why you and I must do something about it. Yes I know many of you are tired of this whole thing, we are as well, and we wish it was already all over and we could get on with our lives again. If you saw the William Wilberforce movie ‘Amazing Grace’ you will remember the length of their struggle. Barbara and I have been showing the film to various groups this week so its message is again fresh in our minds. So we must keep on collecting to ensure we will have enough for her petition and to achieve the required number on mine. Currently we are approaching the 280,000 mark for the second petition. That means we will have enough (285,000) to hand them in again on May 14th. One major event we want to target is next weekend April 19-21 with the V8 Super Cars in Hamilton. Please let me know if you can join us to help in Hamilton. Warm regards, Larry
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