Hayes John: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Hayes John: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:637;Page:8021] 
JOHN HAYES (National—Wairarapa) 
: 
 I rise this evening as an electorate member of Parliament representing the Wairarapa. Last year I sent out 26000 forms to survey members of my electorate to find out how they wanted me to vote on this bill and 2½ out of every three told me to vote against it. I am standing here tonight to oppose this bill coming into force at any date. I say to the people of New Zealand that across the Chamber from where I am standing there are about 11 members of Parliament in the Labour camp who are sitting on the benches across from me. Three of the 11 are responsible to electorates and one of those three supporting this anti-smacking bill is personally responsible for ramming a tennis ball down a student’s throat. Has Mr Benson-Pope no shame? What is he doing here supporting this bill? 
I say to Dover Samuels in the back row that we know that he does not support this bill but he is being whipped into place here in this capital of our country called “Helengrad”. Those members might smile but each of those members in the Labour camp and in the Greens is undermining the social fabric of our country. They are passing this bill on the back of having undermined every teacher and every policeman in this country. Two weeks ago at the Golden Shears in Masterton a couple of young kids were sitting on the bonnet of a car causing trouble and abusing old people. Someone said to them: “Listen boys. Naff off!” It was not me doing the telling; I witnessed this. “You can’t tell us that mister. You can’t do that” the boys said. The guy said he was going to get the police. “They can’t do anything either” he was told. That is why we have so many children out of control in Masterton and elsewhere in the small towns of the Wairarapa. It is because this Labour Government has pulled the rug of authority from every institution in this country whether schoolteachers police officers or now parents. 
I stand here because 2½ out of every three people in my electorate oppose what the Labour Government is doing. I have never in my 18 months in this Parliament seen so many emails from people saying that they oppose what the Government is doing. Two weeks ago on the streets of Masterton Sue Reid began a petition that will cause this Government to face a citizens engaged referendum on this issue. I can say that more than 2000 names were collected in two 2-hour bursts on Queen Street in Masterton; people are queuing up to sign this petition. I asked one lady in her 80s whether she was sick of this Government telling her what to do all the time. That lit a fire that went on for 20 minutes. 
People out in the community the people whom we represent and who put us here—I say to Darien Fenton who is a list candidate—are asking us to stand against these Labour people because they are crucifying this country. They are creating a situation of social disruption. A headmaster from one of our religious schools in the Wairarapa said to me the other day: “John suppose somebody opposes what I am doing in running this Christian school. Under this new piece of legislation if they bring a charge against me and I am convicted for smacking one of my children under my roof at home that will be classified as assault under this bill.” And what is the penalty of that for schoolteachers? They lose their livelihoods. 
I think this bill is absolute and utter nonsense. It is something we inherited from my predecessor Georgina Beyer and her Labour mates who are embarked on yet more social engineering under the leadership of that well-known parent Helen Clark. I at least have two children. I know the problems that people in our community have to face in bringing up kids— 
Hon David Benson-Pope 
: So do your children! 
JOHN HAYES 
: I tell Mr Benson-Pope to find himself another tennis ball and go assault another student then to come back into this Chamber.