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New Zealand's great smacking debate is set to continue for at least another fortnight after debate on Former Labour MP Taito Phillip Field's amendments stalled parliament's vote.
Opponents of the bill successfully dragged the debate out so long that MPs left for the night on Wednesday before voting on a crucial amendment.
Parents will now have to wait another two weeks before finding out whether it will be illegal to smack their child.
The bill, which is being championed by Green Party MP Sue Bradford, would repeal Section 59 of the Crimes Act which allows parents to use "reasonable force" to discipline their children.
Field led the delay, lodging 50 amendments on Wednesday which address the timing of the implementation of the bill - each of which would push the start date of the bill back an extra month.
He admits the amendments are simply a time wasting tactic, but says it is not the state's job to tell parents how to discipline their children.
"They may say this is frivolous but it's not, it's a tactic that hopefully will delay the passing of this bill until the petition, people have had a look at the petition and expressed their opposition," he says.
The Maori Party signalled their support of the bill on Tuesday, which brought the number of those in favour to 63 votes against 58, which is enough to pass the bill.
But Bradford was happy to answer her critics.
"Children should be at the centre of this debate. It is children who still do not receive the same protection as adults from violence," she says.
And with the numbers behind her it looks likely that Bradford's bill will not be denied - just delayed.
