Letter to the Editor

I noticed a few errors in the Heralds reporting on the Kiwi Party (1/10/2008 pg 6 Pro-Smackers Lead Kiwi List) and thought the professional journalists there might be keen to do a little research and unbiased reporting. I got the hint that the reporter does not support the right for parents to discipline their children, or think much of the Kiwi Party but let’s stick to the facts. Mr Baldock is not the ‘smacking’ petition organizer as you state. He led the petition on the right of parents to discipline their children. The Kiwi Party is not claiming to be a Christian Party, it is a party founded on the timeless Kiwi values that are based on Judeo-Christian principles for living. Principles and religion are quite different things. Mr Copeland did not ‘quit’ United Future as you state, he stood his ground and continued to serve his country in Parliament where he would not be tainted with opposing decision making. The issue was not ‘reasonable force in child-abuse cases’ as you stated, it was the right for parents in any situation to discipline their own children. I trust this clears things up.