UPDATE: A BAN on parents smacking their children risks turning Australia into a nanny state, says PM Tony Abbott, who admits he smacked his own kids.
A BAN on parents smacking their children risks turning Australia into a nanny state, says Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who admits he smacked his own kids.
A UN Committee on the Rights of the Child report asks Australia to abolish the right of parents to use reasonable chastisement to discipline children.
The committee would also like teachers and childcare workers to report cases of parents smacking.
But the idea hasn&apos;t grabbed Mr Abbott.
"I was probably one of those guilty parents who did occasionally chastise the children, a very gentle smack I&apos;ve got to say,&apos;&apos; Mr Abbott told the Seven Network today.
"I think that we&apos;ve got to treat our kids well, but I don&apos;t think we ought to say there&apos;s no place ever for smacks.
Mr Abbott said it was "always a danger&apos;&apos; that these types of bans moved Australia towards a nanny state.
"I think we often see political correctness taken to extremes and maybe this is another example,&apos;&apos; he said.
Comparing corporal punishment to domestic violence and assault, the UN has demanded that Australian parents use "other forms of discipline&apos;&apos;.
Parents who smack their children should be prosecuted and teachers ordered to dob in tough-love mums and dads, the UN has told the Australian government.
And it recommends that all professionals working with children - such as teachers and childcare workers - be "trained to identify and report all cases of violence against children&apos;&apos;.
The UN recommendations were outlined in the first report to Federal Parliament by National Children&apos;s Commissioner Megan Mitchell.
Ms Mitchell called for a "national conversation&apos;&apos; about a smacking ban.
"There&apos;s an argument to be had that violence and assault of any form against children is not in their interest,&apos;&apos; she told News Corp Australia.
"We certainly don&apos;t want children growing up in fear of violence, and replicating violence.
"But we don&apos;t want to be criminalising parents for trying to save their child from running across a road - it&apos;s about crossing lines&apos;&apos;.
Ms Mitchell said the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child gave parents the right to "discipline&apos;&apos; a child.
"It doesn&apos;t say exactly what that is and how that should happen,&apos;&apos; she said.
Ms Mitchell - Australia&apos;s child rights watchdog - called on the Abbott government to sign an international treaty giving kids the right to complain to the UN about "violations of their rights&apos;&apos;.
She said children in jail or other types of detention - including child asylum seekers - would be able to appeal to the UN.
"It would also establish the means for children to make complaints about breaches of their rights across the whole spectrum of rights under the (treaty),&apos;&apos; her report to parliament states.
"Before a child or their representative could make a complaint to the UN Committee … they would be required to have exhausted domestic remedies that are available.
Children&apos;s rights under the treaty include a right to "rest and leisure&apos;&apos;, education and protection from "cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment&apos;&apos;.
Ms Mitchell said she did not think children would be able to lodge complaints about smacking.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians has also called for physical punishment to be made "unlawful&apos;&apos;, warning that smacking can lead to depression, anxiety, aggression and substance abuse among children.
Ms Mitchell recommended that state and territory governments stop locking teenagers in adult prisons, which she described as "a ticket to a life of crime&apos;&apos;.
And she called for struggling families to be given help before their children are removed and put into care.
Ms Mitchell said nearly 40,000 Australian children were in foster care - a 27 per cent increase since 2008.
"The system is all set up to remove children rather than support families,&apos;&apos; she said.
Ms Mitchell said parenting courses, counselling and playgroups could help families stay together.
"It&apos;s really important that we look out for each other,&apos;&apos; she said.
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