-
Related
The National Party wants to amend the law that gives parents the right to use reasonable force to discipline their children.
The government is already considering changes and a report due next month has indicated there is unlikely to be an outright ban on smacking.
National's social services spokesman Bob Simcock says parents are entitled to discipline their children but the legal definition of reasonable force should be more clear.
Simcock says limits should be set at punishment which results in bruising, swelling, cuts, burns or more serious injuries. He says that way parents would be unable to hide behind a lax interpretation of the law.
Party leader Jenny Shipley says her caucus has debated the matter extensively and agreed on a middle route.
Shipley says two recent court cases in which juries could not agree on a definition of reasonable force have galvinised her party into taking a stand.
