Posted August 26th, 2009

Letter to the Hon John Carter re Referendum Result

Hi John,

Thanks again for your call the other day in response to my mail.

I must say that John Key’s response to the result of the Citizens Referendum, although not quite unexpected, is still  utterly disappointing!

It just shows that this National Government and in particular the Prime Minister have the same arrogant disregard for the people as  your predecessors displayed.  An enormous majority of New Zealanders told the Government and Mr Key that they do not want this piece of legislation. It is not a matter of whether the Prime Minister “thinks the law is working” or not – the majority does not want it at all, full stop!

87.4 % of the Voters said: “NO – to the question:  “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?” And the only thing the Prime Minister has to say, is: “I believe the law is working” – Unbelievable! The result is consistent with ALL the surveys before this law was changed and despite the misleading campaigns of the YES-Camp, who painted everybody who said NO to the law as a potential child abuser. It is also an indication that the nine million dollars for the referendum could have been saved if the Government and politicians had listened to the will of the people more closely and not changed the law in the first place!

Just because the Police has not pressed more charges in the last year is NO indication that “the law is working”. The fact is, any good parent who might smack their child might be charged by police at their discretion and, what is even worse, have CYFS on their back – the organization best known for hassling good parents and leaving children like the Kahui twins at the mercy of their tormentors!

You asked me during our phone conversation how I think the law should be changed if the NO vote would win. My answer: Restore it to what it was before Sue Bradford got her grubby fingers on it! The law was working! There were enough safeguards to charge any parent for assault if they physically harmed their children. And if a jury found in favour of a parent, because the force used was in their opinion reasonable – then so be it.

It is interesting to note that the introduction of the Anti-Smacking Bill has done nothing to quell child abuse in New Zealand. The deprived people who abuse their children habitually do not care about laws  – but good parents are now at the mercy of police, CYFS or even spiteful neighbors, no matter what the Prime Minister thinks. Well done!!!!

If a light smack by a parent is so “inconsequential” as Mr Key, Ms Bradford, the leftish Social Engineers, the Police etc want us to believe, then WHY THE LAW?

John, I am totally outraged about John Key’s and the Government’s arrogant reaction to the result of the Referendum. I know that my single voice won’t make much of a difference, but although I have voted National for the last 27 years I could not vote again for a National Party that displays this kind of arrogance and supports these kind of socialist ‘anti-family’ laws – and I hope many more New Zealanders who have consistently opposed this law will come to the same conclusion.

I think what you and your colleagues are overlooking is the fact that it is not just about the “Anti-Smacking Law’ anymore, but how Governments react to the clearly expressed will of the people – and 87.4% of the voters disapprove of how John Key and this Government are handling it!

If you are interested in other opinions supporting my stance, you might want to check out this fantastic article:
http://www.grownups.co.nz/read/money/politics/politics-change-the-law

 Yours sincerely,

Peter