Sixty-five countries have banned smacking children – why isn’t Australia one of them?

In Australia, there are clear generational differences in attitudes towards corporal punishment. Photograph: ridvan_celik/Getty Images

Is it ever OK to smack a child?

In most states and territories in Australia, parents and caregivers are legally allowed to discipline children at home with “reasonable” physical force, even though it isn’t permitted in schools or other education environments.