Date: November 2002

Tasmania Law Reform Institute consults on banning corporal punishment

Following a proposal from the Tasmanian Children's Commissioner, the Law Reform Institute has issued a consultation paper on law reform and physical punishment of children in Tasmania. Current civil and criminal law states: "It is lawful for a parent, or person in the place of a parent to use, by way of correction, any force towards a child in his or her care that is reasonable in the circumstances". The paper suggests there are two options for reform: abolition of the defence or clarification of what is "reasonable". Responses are requested by December 16 2002 to: law.reform@utas.edu.au

The consultation paper is available at www.law.utas.edu.au/reform

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