United Nations tells Australia to ban smacking after Australian Catholic ... trends now
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Australian parents would face criminal consequences for smacking their children if the country adopted a United Nations push to outlaw corporal punishment.
The United Nations Committee Against Torture has directed Australia to put an outright ban on corporal punishment, extending from the school gate into the home.
In its recent concluding observations, the committee noted it was concerned corporal punishment remains lawful under the label of so-called 'reasonable chastisement' in the home throughout Australia, as well as in day care and alternative care settings, public and private schools and detention centres in some states and territories.
'The committee urges the state party (Australia) to explicitly prohibit corporal punishment in law in all settings,' it said.
The United Nations Committee Against Torture directed Australia to ban corporal punishment - smacking - in all care and education settings
'It should also strengthen and expand awareness-raising and education campaigns to promote positive and alternative forms of discipline'.
The UN's push for a ban on corporal punishment comes after it accepted a submission underpinned by research from Australian Catholic University
