Sue Bradford has confirmed parents will not be able to smack their children after her bill is passed.

When questioned again today about the effect it would have on parents, she was asked whether it would be possible to smack children after her bill becomes law - and she said no.

Ms Bradford has made the admission in response to comments by Prime Minister Helen Clark before the last election, when Miss Clark stated publicly that she does not want to see smacking banned. Miss Clark made the remarks in an interview with Radio Rhema. When asked "so you do not want to see smacking banned?", the Prime Minister replied "absolutely not", saying it would be an attempt to defy human nature

Ms Bradford says Helen Clark is right, because her bill does not ban smacking. She says it is already illegal to smack children but her bill removes a defence of reasonable force for the purpose of correction. That is despite her insistence that it should not be called the anti-smacking bill.

Sue Bradford says if she wanted to ban smacking she would create a deliberate offence of smacking. She says she and the Prime Minister are singing from the same song sheet, as the Prime Minister knows, and she knows, that her bill is not about banning smacking.