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The Human Rights Commission says parents don't need to worry about being prosecuted for giving their child a trivial smack.
The commission's making its position clear ahead of the referendum on the repeal of section 59 of the Crimes Act.
That removed the legal defence of reasonable force for parents prosecuted for assaulting their child.
Chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan says the new law is far clearer as it spells out when force can and can't be used.
She says force can be used when it's reasonable to do so, such as stopping the child from hurting themselves or others.
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