A packet of chips and a can of lemonade

Last week the great Brian Lochore told more than 1000 fathers at a Parents Inc event that political correctness is destroying New Zealand.

"Yes, I smacked my children, but I've never hit them. Yes, I smacked other people's children, but I never hit them. But we are not allowed to do that any more in this PC world," he said.

Comments that sparked a furor, and saw the line drawn between those who th0ught Lochore was a chauvanistic child abuser and others who thought thank god Brian is someone who is willing to stand up and say that this PC mentality is a load of crap.

I remember as a child being at the rugby clubrooms with my parents. There were plenty of us who spent our weekends barefoot playing in the mud with a packet of chips and a can of lemonade for lunch. Kids, who hung around waiting while Dad swallowed a jug of well-earned beer with his mates and Mum sat in the corner gossiping with the other wives.

I have a hundred different Uncles and Aunties from that time, and the funny thing is that even though these people have no blood relationship to me they still cared enough to make sure that I was safe back then. Even today many still ask after me .

Brian Lochore rejects as "so much bullshit" the suggestion that a macho rugby culture is linked with violence. "It's unbelievable. I don't know any person I played rugby with that ever was involved in family violence because the point of playing rugby is that you get rid of your frustrations on the field because it's a physical game."

He said he and his wife never went to the pub but socialised at rugby clubrooms with other players and their wives and kids. Brian said the pub was only about drinking, the club was aobut friends.

And I have to agree, my Saturdays at the rugby field were all about friends and family. We wernt left at home while dad went and did his thing, we encouraged to join in. In fact on a Saturday morning we used to play netball at our local courts, wait for Mum to play her game and then head to the club rooms to watch Dad.

I remember rushing up to my dad after he came off the field and being lifted up in to his arms. I could smell the mud and sweat on his skin, and I know now that I have never felt more safe and secure.

I had to laugh at Brian Lochore's description of the birth of his children because my father had the same sort of outlook.

"It was always embarrassing, you know how you used to have to look through the glass in those days and they would throw one up in front of you and then throw another one up. There were fathers there gooing over their kid but I just found that whole thing quite embarrassing really. Everyone has got to have the old macho exterior I guess, and that was what it was like in those days. But God I can't understand how I would be without my children. My life would be totally empty. They are all great kids," Brian said.

"For the modern father it's the greatest day of their lives. But I was a farmer and I've probably calved 100 cows and thousands of lambs and the last thing I wanted to be was in that situation."

My dad almost missed my birth but this morning I called him and wished him a happy fathers because at the end of the day he is still my dad and he was and is a fantastic father, even if he is a little old school.