The Anti-Smacking 'Law' Debate

[Perry]

I think all the talk about democracy is a distraction to the smacking issue we were discussing.
We voted in a Government democratically that made a decision to make that law change.
It was democratic.

Right - in that sense it certainly was. And given that
governments can and routinely do ignore referendum
results, there was no reason they should've treated
any widespread public opinion views any differently.

[drelly]

Right - in that sense it certainly was. And given that
governments can and routinely do ignore referendum
results, there was no reason they should've treated
any widespread public opinion views any differently.

Yes but we have had very few Government referendums and the public referendums tend to have very biased questions that get the result they are looking for. Do you think it's realistic for any Government to make all their decisions based on public opinion? You know as well as I do that the general public are often badly misinformed.

[Perry]

And who do you suggest misinforms the general public?

The Swiss manage referenda, OK.

A referendum with a "very biased question" differs
how from a NZ government commission of inquiry in
which the terms of reference are set by the gov-
ernment so as to get the answer they want?

As I concurred before, it's not a great system,
this democracy thing: it's the best of a bad lot.

[drelly]

And who do you suggest misinforms the general public?

Mostly the media and whoever is in opposition!

The Swiss manage referenda, OK.

Perhaps I'm being unfair but I suspect your average Swiss person is far better informed, educated and less likely to be on a benefit than your average Kiwi.

As I concurred before, it's not a great system, this democracy thing: it's the best of a bad lot.

Yes, it does seem to produce the least bad results.

[Perry]

And who do you suggest misinforms the general public?

Mostly the media and whoever is in opposition!

Any suggestions for a remedy?

The Swiss manage referenda, OK.

Perhaps I'm being unfair but I suspect your average Swiss person is far better
informed, educated and less likely to be on a benefit than your average Kiwi.

And why do think that's the position?

[jimO]

the anti smacking bill hasn't stopped some of our indigenous folk from beating their babies to death but it has resulted in some good parents getting into strife with John Law for giving their kids a quick reminder of who is the boss.

[drelly]

Any suggestions for a remedy?

I wish I could offer some better suggestions. Perhaps requiring prime-time, on-air retractions for inaccuracies from the media would work. I don't think we can expect any improvement in their standards! As for the political opposition... we have the same problem with our adversarial legal system. Everyone is trying to win rather than get the best result.

And why do think that's the position?

It's just a guess really... based on what I see here. Surely... surely... the Swiss doesn't idolise their equivalent of rugby players, drinking, recreational drugs and benefit fraud as much as we do here!