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Second Reading of the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill ACYA is a coalition of non-governmental organisations, families and individuals whose purpose is to promote the wellbeing of children and young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. We do this through education and advocacy, encouraging the Government to act on the Recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC) and through promoting increased opportunities for the participation of children and young people's voice, opinions and input into society. On the basis of our wide experience of children and young people's issues (and our recognition as a valued partner with Government through the Ministry of Youth Development Advisory Group on UNCROC) we advocated strongly on behalf of children and young people of New Zealand for Repeal S59 in our submission to the Select Committee. The Select Committee has made several amendments to the proposed Bill. These amendments retain the central intention of the Bill before the House. ACYA now urges all MPs to support the Bill in this revised form so that it can successfully pass the Second Reading in Parliament. Recent research in the longitudinal study of young people in Christchurch provides unequivocal evidence of the long term detrimental effects of violence and stress on the physical and mental health of young people. Though we would have liked to see the Repeal of S59, we believe that the revised Bill does provide for the interests of children and young persons, and also acknowledges certain conditions where some restraint may be necessary for the child's own safety. The New Zealand Government will be asked in 2008 to account once again to the UN Committee for its response to earlier Recommendations and Concluding Observations, and to report on progress in the full implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has called for Repeal of S59 since January 1997. We trust that Parliament will, in 2007, make progress on this immediately by passing the Second Reading of this Bill and ultimately passing it into legislation.