Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007
The Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007 (formerly the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill) is an amendment to New Zealand's Crimes Act 1961 which removed the legal defence of "reasonable force" for parents prosecuted for assault on their children.

The law was introduced to the New Zealand Parliament as a private member's bill by Green Party Member of Parliament Sue Bradford in 2005, after being drawn from the ballot. It attracted intense debate, both in Parliament and from the public. The bill was colloquially referred to by several of its opponents and newspapers as the "anti-smacking bill". The bill was passed on its third reading on 16 May 2007 by 113 votes to eight. The Governor-General of New Zealand granted the Royal Assent on 21 May 2007, and the law came into effect on 21 June 2007.

A citizens-initiated referendum on the issues surrounding the law was held between 30 July and 21 August 2009, asking "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?" Despite widespread criticism of the question's wording, the referendum was returned with an 87.4 percent "No" vote on a turnout of 56.1 percent.
Q664
New Zealand
LOC
Q5185487
Crimes Act 1961
LOC
Q365680
assault
Concept
Q1520966
New Zealand Parliament
LOC
Q1327761
Green Party
ORG
Q7634025
Sue Bradford
PER
Q455690
Governor-General of New Zealand
PER
Q1070654
Royal Assent
MEDIA
Q10358452
citizens-initiated referendum
EVE
Q5185482
Crimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007
EVE
2007-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2007
DATE
1961-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1961
DATE
2005-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2005
DATE
2007-05-16T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
16 May 2007
DATE
2007-05-21T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
21 May 2007
DATE
2007-06-21T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
21 June 2007
DATE
2009-08-21T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
21 August 2009
DATE
+59^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
59
NUMBER
+30^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
30
NUMBER
+87.4^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
87.4
NUMBER
+56.1^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
56.1
NUMBER
country
legislated by
country