One punch campaign going transTasman

Brisbane man Paul Stanley, whose son Matthew died after being punched and kicked in the head,...
Brisbane man Paul Stanley, whose son Matthew died after being punched and kicked in the head, talks to Constable Shelley Phair about the 'Just One Punch' campaign. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
A Dunedin campaign highlighting the dangers of a single punch is about to cross the Tasman, after impressing a Brisbane man who lost his son to teenage violence.

Paul Stanley, of the Matthew Stanley Foundation, was in Dunedin this week to look at the ''Just One Punch'' campaign.

Mr Stanley, who is originally from Ashburton but has lived in Brisbane since 1970, said the Dunedin-developed campaign had a simplicity and ''hard-hitting'' message that would make it a welcome addition in Australia.

''I see ''Just One Punch'' as being a programme that could easily be taken on by police in every state.''

In 2006, Mr Stanley's son, Matthew, died at the age of 15 after being punched and kicked in the head.

The Matthew Stanley Foundation works with Queensland Police and the community to educate young people about preventing youth violence.

Mr Stanley said that violence was taking a terrible toll.

''People have just got to realise the damage that one punch can do.

''It's a simple as that.

''You can have someone put in a coma for the rest of his life, or be like a young man I know in Queensland who was hit with one punch, brain damaged, and all he can do is blink his eyes.

''He can't speak; he can't do anything, and he knows everything that's going on around him.''

Mr Stanley said he was ''not getting any younger''.

''I've spoken to around 160,000 kids over the past seven years, and that's in schools, sporting groups etcetera.

''The message I'm giving out at the moment is very personal, and it's not something anybody else could successfully deliver.''

He had started looking for other tools and his Christchurch-based brother told him about ''Just One Punch''.

The campaign was developed to highlight the alcohol link with assault and educate people to make better choices.

Mr Stanley said the teaching resources would allow others in the foundation, which had many young people keen to get involved, to go out and deliver the anti-violence message.

There were plenty of similar Australian campaigns but he was attracted by the simplicity of ''Just One Punch''.

''They've made it simple enough so that anybody, very quickly, can actually present it.''

Constable Shelley Phair, who initiated the campaign, said the campaign had been used in New Zealand in schools, training centres and probation and diversion schemes.

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz

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