The proposed referendum, which will ask the quetion: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?" will have a fairly predictable outcome.

However, should the referendum instead pose the question asked of NZ Herald readers today: "Is a conviction appropriate for punching a child?" it might offer a very different, and more valuable outcome.

I'm sure there are plenty of 'ordinary New Zealanders' who would happily answer 'no' to the first question, but would be far less comfortable answering "no" to the second.