Opponents march against the bill - Key and National do not gain any traction - too scared to make waves! Government is being consistent even if they are out of kilter with public opinion.!
Hundreds march against anti-smacking bill
Email this storyPrint this story Updated 3:40PM Wednesday March 28, 2007
Anti-smacking bill protesters march into Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Smacking Debate
Public opinion says 'no', but Clark and Cullen say 'yes'
Both sides of the smacking argument
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Hundreds of people, many with children, marched through central Wellington and Christchurch today in protest at Green MP Sue Bradford's anti-smacking bill.
An estimated 2000 protestors braved a wet, wintry lunchtime in Christchurch to march from Victoria to Cathedral Square.
In Wellington, placard-carrying demonstrators marched from Civic Square at midday, headed for Parliament where MPs were due to continue debating the bill this afternoon.
Before the march started there were verbal clashes between pro and anti supporters of the bill but police quickly stepped in to defuse any trouble.
One observer estimated that the anti-smacking bill protesters numbered more than 500.
Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier confirmed Labour was discussing with other political parties the possibility of introducing Sue Bradford's private member's bill as a Government bill.
That would see the bill go to a vote within days rather than weeks. The move follows Labour's decision to withdraw a bid to have the bill heard under urgency.
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