I didn't think that Nigel Latta would ever come out and say that our anti-smacking law was working. Today, he did just that.

Accompanied by Prime Minister John Key, the nation's favourite psychologist endorsed the law. Just a few months ago, Latta was an arch opponent stating that a little slap on the hand or the bum was good for children when they transgressed. Right now, he has probably become enemy number one of the pro-smacking lobby (probably pushing Sue Bradford and John Key down a few places). According to TV3, one of the leading proponents of the right to smack (I can't remember who) was reported to have made an "unrepeatable" remark when the reporter told him of Latta's conversion to the forces of darkness.

I really do have to applaud Latta, though, on this occassion. He was charged by Key with the umpteenth review of the law since it came into effect and was given wide scope to talk with anyone. What this self-styled politically incorrect parenting specialist found was that the law is functioning as intended. Latta reported that the number of smacking prosecutions taken in the last six months was minimal. This illustrates that the police's legal right to exercise discretion is being appropriately used. Therefore, we don't have every second parent in the country appearing in court for simply pushing their young child away from a hot element.

While the law has not done away with the scourge of child abuse, it has prompted all of us to think about the way we discipline our children. The resort to smacking has been a very easy but overused form of discipline and there needs to be a move away from this. Other measures, such as time out or raising a firm voice, should be used to show children where the appropriate boundaries are. I can appreciate that raising children is hard. While I'm not a parent, I do know many family and friends who are and it isn't an easy task. But of those parents I do know, an increasing number are not smacking their kids. This is a very encouraging sign for the future. Role modelling to kids that it is NOT okay to hit someone if they have done something wrong is a good thing too.

Anti-smacking advocates (like me) are very pleased that someone of Latter's stature has changed his view. With his reach into middle New Zealand, I would encourage him to take the message that 'it's not okay to hit a kid - ever!' into each and every living room.

No wonder the pro-smacking lobby are livid. If they have lost Latta, then who else could be preparing to desert the ship? I hope that many more pro-smackers could be preparing to do just that.