Dale Owens reported this story on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 18:21:00

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Schools in Western Australia will soon be banned from using the cane or paddle to punish students.



The move has prompted a leading education researcher to call for a nationwide ban on the practice.



Corporal punishment hasn't been used in West Australian public schools for nearly 30 years, but one independent school appears to be the target of the ban.



From Perth, Dale Owens reports.



DALE OWENS: The cane and paddle will be thrown out of the classroom when the ban comes into place in all West Australian schools this year.



Education Minister Peter Collier says corporal punishment is a thing of the past.



PETER COLLIER: We simply do not have to smack a child in 21st Century as a way in which we can get that child to modify his or her behaviour.



DALE OWENS: It appears one school is being targeted by the ban, the Nollamara Christian Academy in Perth's north.



PETER COLLIER: The issue with regard to corporal punishment emerged last year as a result of the fact that there was a school that was still using corporal punishment. Now, the fact that we've got one school, one small school - and I don't have a problem with that small school, small Christian school, in terms of the fact that they have particular values that they feel reflects their cohort of students.



Suffice to say if you've got one school that is out of step with every other school in the state, it is absolutely imperative from my perspective as Education Minister to ensure that we do formalise the process, and that is that corporal punishment will not be accepted in schools in Western Australia.



DALE OWENS: PM tried to contact the Nollamara Christian Academy for comment, but was unsuccessful.



Its principal, Pastor Roger Monasmith, told Seven West Media the school would stop corporal punishment when ordered to by the Government. It's not known exactly how many Australian schools still use corporal punishment.



Education experts say it's only a small number and they're welcoming the WA ban.



ANNA SULLIVAN: Corporal punishment does not change behaviour. In fact it can exacerbate the problem, so it can lead to further alienation from school and worse.



DALE OWENS: Anna Sullivan is from the University of South Australia.



ANNA SULLIVAN: I think it was nearly 200 academics across Australia who wrote to the federal minister, Christopher Pyne, asking him for leadership to encourage the states and territories to ban the practice. So, it's well and truly long overdue. In fact for a first world country like ours to still allow it is quite surprising. So, credit to the West Australian Government for acting on it. That's fantastic news.



DALE OWENS: WA Education Minister Peter Collier says smacking is no longer an appropriate form of punishment.



PETER COLLIER: The education system of Western Australia in the 21st Century has a raft of student service facilities that are available to our students in the government and the non-government sector.



That includes psychologists, chaplains, year leaders - in terms of teacher year leaders. Also there is an enormous wealth of opportunity in terms of leadership that is provided now through the student body themselves and this is a reflection of 21 Century pedagogy. We no longer live in a situation where we have to smack our children to get what we want from them.



DALE OWENS: Education researcher Anna Sullivan hopes this signals the end of corporal punishment in all Australian schools.



ANNA SULLIVAN: I think it's fantastic news that the West Australian Government has taken it upon itself to make that change. It's probably overdue, to tell you the truth, and I probably sends a strong signal to those other areas around Australia that still have loopholes in their legislation that allows it to still happen in some schools.



SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Education researcher Anna Sullivan ending that report from Dale Owens.