I think that the law is there to make it possible to prosecute offenders who claim "discipline" as their defence when being charged with abuse not because the government want to instruct parents on how their children must be raised although I appreciate media and those against the law have protrayed it as such. 

There have been cases in the recent past, before the law was introduced where abusers actually successfully fought charges because they claimed it was their rights as parents to discipline children as they saw fit.  Basically until a child was murdered the police couldn't do anything to stop these offenders, and by then it was too late.

I agree, it's not anyone elses place to dictate how we raise our children and if the bill was being used to prosecute innocent parents then I would oppose it but so far it appears only those who do actually use undue force have been affected.

It's a young law and I hope that in time it will have effect on the child abuse rates in our country - hopefully it won't take to long! 

Dagster wrote: Who thinks the smacking bill (in NZ) is going to make one bit of difference?? (I sure dont)

There has been at least one case I've heard of where it did work - in Carterton I think.  The mother felt empowered enough to press charges against the father who was using extreme force to discipline their children.  He was prosecuted and ordered into anger management.  He actually plead guilty and appeared very remorseful.

I've heard of other cases too (initially we followed these cases closely because my MIL is very against the law and I'm against using physical force as discipline)

Those poor poor babies.  I just can't imagine how awful their precious little lives were.  The older children are going to need some serious counselling and reprogramming to ensure that they don't believe that the way they were parented is normal or acceptable.

Bobbie wrote: .....it makes me want to go and wake my baby up just to cuddle her.

Hands up who's done that before *hand raised*

ETA: haven't actually woken her but have picked her up and cuddled her while sleeping occasionally.  We're so lucky to have each other.

That makes me so sad and so angry.

*insert emoticon here of me slapping those useless excuses for human beings that don't deserve to be called parents*

Do they not have a plunket equivalent in Australia?  I found it interesting that one of the articles mentions 2 different neighbours noticing odd behaviour (i.e. 3 yo roaming street unsupervised) and yet nothing was mentioned to authorities.  I'm getting pretty sick of the "mind our own business" and "don't ask questions" world in which we live.