Parenting hypocrisy by the Greens
Issued 19 August 2010
“When it comes to parenting, the Australian Greens don’t know whether they’re Arthur or Martha,” Shem Bennett, Liberal Democrats candidate for La Trobe said today.
“On the one hand they oppose the internet filter because they believe parents should be able to monitor what their children look at online.
“On the other hand they support a ban on junk food advertising because they believe parents are incapable of monitoring what their children watch on TV,” he said.
The Liberal Democrats don’t think there is really that much difference between the internet and TV. We believe parents are capable of making decisions about what their children eat as well as monitoring what they see.
“We empathise with parents who get frustrated when little Timmy whines for McDonalds every night and refuses to eat his vegetables. But frustration is a part of parenting and we don’t think it is the role of government to step in and take over parenting because some bureaucrat in Canberra thinks they aren’t doing a good enough job,” said Mr Bennett.
“Nobody denies that obesity is a growing problem among Australian children. But the solution isn’t for the government to step in and stop parents from parenting. The solution is for families to take responsibility for their own diet and for communities to get active again,” he said.
The Liberal Democrats do not believe the government should be intruding into the private realm of parents and children, either in relation to diet or controlling internet viewing.
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