Major political parties should support moves to ban parents from smacking their children, a veteran campaigner for children's rights said on Saturday.
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In making the call, Alan Corbett also warned against a repeat of comments by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott when he was health minister that ignited controversy over the use of the cane in schools.
Mr Corbett, a father of one and a former NSW Upper House member elected on a platform of children's rights, said a continued endorsement of non-violent measures was critical for the wellbeing of children.
''The aim of hitting a child is to hurt a child, there is no way around that,'' he said. ''There's a growing awareness of the vulnerability of children … and the destructive effects that harsh corporal punishment can [inflict] on a child.''
Mr Corbett made the comments in response to the Royal Australian College of Physicians' call for a legal amendment to give children the same protection from assault as adults. He said it was unlikely any major party would reintroduce corporal punishment in schools, but he raised concerns about Mr Abbott's previous stance on the issue.
After appearing on Today in 2007, Mr Abbott stated his opposition to corporal punishment in schools but made comments generally supportive of the practice.
His comments included ''a lot of people think that sometimes you've just got to be able to give a short, sharp shock'' and ''it may well be that sometimes the only language that some kids understand is that kind of language''.
Commenting on a video of schoolyard violence on the program, Mr Abbott said: ''I mean, we've taken corporal punishment out of the schools because we think that's brutal and yet our playgrounds seem to be becoming more brutal than ever.
''Maybe a little bit more discipline in the schools would prevent some of the ugliness that we've just seen.''
Mr Corbett served in the NSW Upper House as the sole representative of A Better Future For Our Children party between 1995 and 2003. He now lives in Bundaberg and is the leader of the Australian Children's Rights Party.
Corporal punishment is banned in all schools, except in Queensland and Western Australia. Mr Corbett said ''only four or five'' schools in those states continued its use, with schools choosing instead to follow the lead of state schools in condemning physical punishment.
The college's research indicated corporal punishment could lead to depression, anxiety and greater aggression.
Despite this, it was legal for parents in Australia to use corporal punishment to discipline their children, provided it was ''reasonable''.
Mr Corbett said the plan was an excellent step in combating child abuse.
''I think it's a broad approach and a reasonable approach. They're basically calling for better support for parents, better law reform and better community education,'' he said. ''All of those things are necessary.''
Mr Corbett is researching the links between corporal punishment and domestic violence.
Mr Abbott's office was unavailable for comment.
