Feilding & Nelson anti-Nanny rallies today

Noon today sees two opportunities to tell Nanny to bugger off.

People near Nelson can gather on "The Church steps"; further north, in Feilding, you should gather at the Clock Tower (story here in the local press)-- both marches/rallies start at noon. It's suggested you wear "a black armband," and bring your anti-Nanny banners.

Reports suggests the Rangiora march last week "went well," as did the Masterton march on Friday.

Let's keep the pressure on before what looks to be the day of decision on Wednesday.

UPDATE 1: Muriel Newman says, "New Zealand is being conned over the so-called anti-smacking bill."

Touted as being the way to prevent child abuse, this bill is part of an international movement designed to undermine parental authority and increase state control over children. While a dozen or so countries have succumbed to the pressure of the anti-smacking lobby and the United Nations, the overwhelming majority have not (see 'Smacking Laws in other Countries' at BBC News Online)

Read on for a good summary of the issues and the politics, including a few myth-busters.

UPDATE 2: John Key says in this online TV3 interview that the urgency over the anti-smacking Bill is "an abuse of power," one that "the public won't forget." Fine words, but that's all they are since nowhere does he say, and nor has he said anywhere, that a National-led Government would repeal this legislation if passed. Mr Bob Each Way wants to rail against an unpopular Bill while sitting on the fence and giving himself a sore crotch. As an 'ally' he's as much use as a chocolate frying pan.

And given that he labels the legalisation of prostitution and the Civil Union Bill as "social engineering" -- both moves which allowed people the freedom to make their own decisions about their own lives -- it's clear that not for the first time he doesn't have a bloody clue what he's talking about.

As someone once said of Neville Chamberlain, "is there no beginning to his talents."

UPDATE 3: Both Feilding and Nelson rallies report attracting 200-300 punters. The report from the Feilding rally says: "The Mum who organised it gave a passionate speech, saying precisely whatmost mums would say to Bradford and Clark: Get a life!'"

One protestor for the other side. She didn't even know what Section 59 says when we got talking to her! Yet she retorted that she wouldn't talk to people with no brains like us anymore. So she talked to the media instead...they were keen to talk to her.

And that one woman was ... Lindsay Perigo's mum.

UPDATE 4: And presumably you've now heard the news that the move for urgency on the anti-smacking legislation has (apparently) been abandoned. "Too much pressure" is given as the reason -- not pressure on parents or on voters, but pressure on politicians, the poor dears.

RELATED: Smacking, NZ Politics