Williamson Maurice: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Williamson Maurice: Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:637;Page:7997] 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (National—Pakuranga) 
: 
 When I first decided to take part in this debate—and I know how limited this particular debate is in that it is on the title clause only—I sat down and tried to ask myself what an appropriate title would be so that people in years to come when looking up this bill would know what it was. I thought something like the “Elimination of Violence Against Our Children Bill” would be a good title. Then I suddenly realised no that is not what this bill is about. If it were about the elimination of violence against our children not a member in this Chamber would not be voting for it. It would not even be debated; it would go through unanimously. There is not a member in this Parliament who does not want to take action against people who beat their kids with weapons and implements who leave marks and welts and who draw blood and so on. 
So then I thought that it was more of a send-a-message bill to people out there—a bill about how to look after their kids and how to teach those kids right and wrong. But calling it the “Send a Message to People About How to Look After Their Kids Bill” would not be a good title because the problem with calling it that is that it would go to the wrong people. By far the people who are doing the shocking bashing and some of the dreadful stuff we have seen—and family names like Delcelia Witika the Kahui twins and others will roll off the tongue—will not even know that this bill is being passed and if they do they will not care. If members in this Chamber think that passing this bill will deal with those serious high-end offenders we all want to get to they are dreaming. 
So I thought it might be more appropriate to get to what the bill really is about—that is the “Making Good Parents Criminal While Not Addressing the Actual Issues Bill”. That is what it is—that is what it is saying to good parents who are trying to teach their kids what boundaries are acceptable—what right and wrong mean. I am happy to say that I have brought up three kids. Luckily they did not inherit my genes because they are all adopted but I am happy to say that those three kids had to learn some boundaries. And they tested and they tried out me and my wife about those boundaries: “Go on make my day. I can take it a bit further to see how you go.” I am happy to say they got a smack. It was not a hard smack; it did not make any marks leave any welts or draw any blood but it actually started to put a boundary in place. So I thought maybe that the elimination of violence was not the right idea and that the “Making Good Parents Criminal While Not Addressing the Actual Issues Bill” would be a good title. 
Then I went on to think that no it is actually a bigger issue than just that. A good title for this bill would be the “Nanny State Knows Best Bill”. That would be a brilliant title for this bill because we are saying that to good parents up and down the country—and let us get it clear: very very few parents beat their kids. Most parents give their kids a smack on the bum to say: “Hey that was wrong and you know it.” Most of them give a warning. I have never smacked my kids in anger; I have never done it to hurt them or do anything other than just teach them what is a boundary that it is not acceptable to cross. 
I have to say that a number of members taking part in this debate have never had kids—and that is on both sides of the Chamber—but they really should have three of them dropped off at their houses for a week so that the little monsters can really show them what is good and bad about how good they are at trying parents. 
So then I thought no the “The Nanny State Knows Best Bill” does not encompass enough so I think I will narrow it down. I thought a good title would be something like the “MPs (Some of Whom Have Never Had Kids) Know Better Than Good Parents How to Care for Kids Bill”. That is what this bill is about. Members of Parliament in this Chamber many of whom have never done the toughest job there is know that it is the job that people get no training for in life. It is the hardest job the worst-paid— 
Jacqui Dean 
: The best job. 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: —but the job with the best rewards if we do it right. That is what this title should be. 
Lynne Pillay 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. The only person on the committee who had not had children to my knowledge was Christopher Finlayson— 
Phil Heatley 
: That’s not a point of order. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Please be seated. The member will withdraw and apologise. He knows there will be silence during points of order—OK? The member knows that very well. 
Phil Heatley 
: I sincerely withdraw and apologise. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Thank you. That is a warning to everyone; when a member raises a point of order—and I rule that that was not a point of order; but that is irrelevant until it is heard and I have dealt with it—there will be silence. 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: So that was the next thing I thought—and I meant all members in this Chamber from all sides—the “MPs (Some of Whom Have Never Had Kids) Know Better Than Good Parents How to Care for Kids Bill”. Then I thought no—actually that is just trying to be too provocative. Let us go for what it really is about: the “Removal of Learning What Boundaries Are for Children Bill”. That is what this bill will do. 
I will be the first to help arrest any parents who beat their kids. I will be the first to actually go with the police to arrest someone who uses an implement—a spoon a bat a whip or anything else—but I will also be the very first to defend the right of good parents to be able to teach some little monsters who can grow up badly if they are not taught boundaries what is right and what is wrong.