Whose rights? Children, parents and discipline

This article outlines the current state of the law on the physical discipline of children, and draws attention to the politics and symbolism of the ongoing debate. The authors contend that the renewed debate in Australia about incorporating international human rights into a federal Bill of rights, and the recent enactment of rights legislation in the ACT and Victoria raise new ways of considering the physical discipline of children as bearers of rights. They argue the case for law reform in Australia as taking seriously children s rights to protection from physical violence remains an unresolved challenge.