The current debate at the heart of Australian society concerns the wooden spoon: Specifically, should you be allowed to beat your child with one? Victoria's Claire Davidson, cautioned by police after her nine year old revealed that she was subject to harsh utensil-based discipline, is unrepentant.

"We only use the wooden spoon and that is only when she is being naughty and we give her fair chance to rectify the situation and we talk her through it," she told the Herald Sun.

She said her daughters gets three warnings and, then, "it is spoon time."

Elsewhere, other Prison Islanders recall their own run-ins with wooden spoons. [...]