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Smacking Bill sponsor Sue Bradford fears for her safety and has called police after threats - and a call for her home address - were made on a website today.
The "Cyfswatch" website posting raised the prospect of assassinating the MP, who has a member's bill before Parliament to remove the right of parents to smack children to correct them.
The legislation takes away the defence of reasonable force against assault of a child under Section 59 of the Crimes Act.
Ms Bradford told reporters she was alarmed at the posting which "details a graphic physical assault on me and asks people to send in my home address".
"I've referred it to the police here at Parliament and I'm quite concerned about my physical safety at this time."
Police diplomatic protection squad chief Inspector Bruce Blayney said he was looking into the threat but it was too early to say if security would be increased.
"We take any threat against an MP seriously."
The anonymous posting makes insulting personal remarks about Ms Bradford.
The author says they would like to punch Ms Bradford and break her nose and give a graphic account about other injuries that would be inflicted.
"Bradford is a worthy candidate for NZ's first political assassination -- I only wish I had the resources to do it," it concludes.
The website administrator said if Ms Bradford's residential address was supplied it would publish it.
"Cyfswatch is of the belief that actions have consequences and MPs should no more be immune from the consequences as the rest of us."
The website was set up to criticise Child, Youth and Family Services (CYF) and caused controversy with a "name-and-shame" blog which provided personal information about individual social workers.
Google ordered it to remove some posts that were not compliant with its terms of service.
Ms Bradford said the post was horrible and the request for her home address was wrong. "This sort of thing is quite scary."
It was clear from the content of the post that opponents of her bill were behind it, she said.
"The people who believe the right to beat children is sacrosanct (did it) and I think it's indicative of some of the people that are campaigning against me. I think it is disgraceful that they would threaten a member of Parliament in this way."
Ms Bradford said she hoped her address was not in the public domain and she would consider getting protection.
"I've asked my secretary to go straight to the Parliamentary police to let them know that I am worried now. I wasn't before," she said.
"There have been occasional threats in the past but the fact they are trying to track down my address at the same time as describing a graphic and quite horrible assault on me is distressing at this time in the Parliamentary debate."
She added: "Some of the parents who want to defend the parents right to hit their kids seem quite fanatical and I think this threat against me is the latest manifestation."
Parliament is tonight to debate the bill's second reading and it was likely to pass that stage -- one of several needed before it can be passed into law.
- NZPA
