NZ First introduces a Members Bill to Protect Freedom Of Speech , Described by NZ First ‘As a Vital part of Democracy to ensure that everyone can have a say – within the law. (Winston Peters May 24, 2024 )
The “Protection of Freedom of Expression Bill” will ensure that no organization or individual, when acting within the law, is unreasonably denied use of a public venue for an organized event or gathering due solely to holding a differing opinion or belief. It achieves this by setting out responsibilities for facilitating free speech in public venues. “A vital part of a functioning democracy is to ensure that everyone can have their say within the law” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.
That “Public venues paid for by taxpayers and local ratepayers should be available to anyone wishing to utilize those venues, and not be exposed to the ‘thinly veiled totalitarian thought police’ that have become so prevalent in New Zealand.” It will ensure that all organizations are granted freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association, when acting within the law, utilizing any publicly owned facility.
“This Bill upholds New Zealander’s right to freedom of expression and the right to say, ‘I disagree.’” There have been multiple instances of public authorities and venues attempting to shut down, cancel, or censor organizations and speakers solely because they hold contrary views. “This cancerous cancel culture is an attack on the very fabric of New Zealand society”. As stated in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 – “everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form.” “New Zealand First will continue to defend the right of every New Zealander to exercise that freedom.” “We refuse to accept these basic rights being taken away by certain pressure groups, causes, or influenced authorities.”
However, there is no mention of the recommendations that were made by the Royal Commissions Inquiry Into the Christchurch Attacks concluded 1/12/2020 which significantly violate Freedom Of Speech, as programs, initiatives have been developed implemented due to the recommendations made by the Royal Commission Inquiry Into the Christchurch Attacks 15/3/2019. Which affect Freedom of Expression, freedom of speech.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern instigated the Inquiry to investigate State Sector Agencies including NZ Police about individuals, activists prior to 15/3/2019, in an effort to prevent future attacks of this nature. 8/12/2020 The CH Ch Royal Commission of Inquiry made 44 Recommendations that covered National Security and wider social & community matters. NZ Police themselves as a lead agency included 8 recommendations from the concluded CH CH Inquiry. The govt’s initial response to the inquiry includes updates on relevant work that was already underway prior to the CH CH Attack.
Includes -Three new key initiatives were 1) Supporting Diverse Communities. (2) Tackling harmful behavior and Discrimination (3) Keeping NZ Safe Information. The Police initiatives in response to the recommendations included
1)Develop, promote an accessible reporting system, enabling members of the public to easily report concerning behaviors to a single contact point within the govt. (Possible concerns with responsive actions via this channel) . Advancing information, sharing this with other agencies, stronger relationships with agencies as to persons of interest. The police’s ability to record incidents reported as ‘being of concern’ to members of the public.. Hence to record incidences of ‘Hate Speech/Hate Crime.’
RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED: All works frame come under the Arms Transformation Program. (Arms information platform (NZ Police) implementation of legislative changes controlling firearms in NZ) A system involving a digital platform that manages information related to fire arms, ammunition and other restricted weapons.
August 2018, No 2. LV. 2030 Agenda.. 2030 Global Agenda UN Arms Control and Development. Advancing disbarment within the 2030 Global Agenda for the 21st Century for Sustainable Development. The Secretary General of the UN recognized in his new Agenda for Disarmament, where he described ‘a vast potential’ for disarmament activities to further advance the UN’s pursuit of development objects (Launched 24/5/2018).
Referencing-UN Documents that ‘Agenda 2030 global goals (SDGs) provides a unique opportunity to revisit the historical relationship between disarmament and development. All UN Nation States have committed themselves to taking such an integrated approach to disarmament . To provide sustainable, coherent solutions with a strong focus on the problem of small arms control. Supports the achievement of SDG Targets 16 and 16.4 to advance SDG3, includes SDGs 5, 8, 11. Targets 5.5 and 16.8. This is a comprehensive universal disamenent to tackle the 21st century challenges. (UN Chronicle)
Recommendations NZ Police Royal Commission Inquiry CH Ch Attacks ..Recommendation 19. Direct NZ Police or other relevant agencies to make policies, guidance for firearms licensing system consistent with legislation. (REC 20) Introduce an electronic system of processing firearms license applications (Rec 21) Ensure firearms licensing staff have regular training, undertake periodic reviews of the quality of their work (REC22) Introduce performance indicators that focus on effective implementations of firearm licensing systems.
KEY INDICATORS; Are to include regular performance monitoring of firearms licensing, ensuring National Standards are met. (REC23) Processing of firearms applications for those that have lived outside of NZ 10 years prior to application. Required to produce police criminal history from a place they have previously resided . Firearms officers to interview family members or close connections in other countries using technology if the applicant has no near relatives, close associations in NZ.
(REC 24) Introducing mandatory reporting of firearms injuries by Health Professionals (REC 42) Police to revise a way they can record complaints of criminal conduct to capture systematical hate motivations for offending so NZ Police can use this to train front line officers (a) Identify bias indicators, so they can identify potential hate crimes, when they perceive an offence to be hate motivated and recording such motivations in a way which facilitates the use of Section 9 (1) (h) of the Sentencing Act 2002
Police received funding from Cabinet in 2021 to strengthen existing ties, partnerships with communities across NZ. Established Te Raranga- a new program to work to improve the response to Hate Crime and Hate Incidences, to support those offended by hate crime. Te Raranga to record hate crime, to make it easier for victims to report Hate Crime. A Victim Centric Approach to Hate Crime. Over 4 years Police will make it easier for victims to report Hate Crime for Victims and their families. Te Raranga leads the newly established Advisory Group (TRAG) Strengthening work at Govt and Agency level.
TRAG Members include NZ Human Rights Commission, Internal Affairs, Crime Stoppers CertNZ, Netsafe. Between 1/1/2021 and 24/6/2021 (6 Months) Police carried out checks on every reported Hate Speech made to them and recorded all of these. 1,693 reports of Hate Crimes. Police stated that this will help them understand the experiences of individuals, communities with a new way to proceed, develop, record, manage Hate Crime in the future. Te Raranga is a partnering program where agencies, come together to reduce the harm caused by Hate in NZ
Working with He Aranga Aka a multi agency as to the likelihood of hate crime causing violent extremism, NZ Police leading the development of this program. The framework involves 7 govt agencies – Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Social Development, education, Corrections, Health, SIS and NZ Police. NZ SIS website Describes extremist behaviors with the intention of becoming violent.
Extreme ideologies can be based on Faith, Political Beliefs that exist on the fringes of society, outside of accepted views and beliefs of people. They may radically seek to change the nature of the govt, religion or society to create a community based on their ideology. Promoting the use of violence to advance one’s own perception of identity and/or denigrate others’ perceived identities. Promoting the use of violence to achieve a desired outcome to a specific issue.
NZ SIS investigators reviewed NZs counter terrorism investigations back to 2006 to identify common behaviors, activities. Due to relatively low number of violent extremists and terrorist acts in NZ they used events seen overseas to validate their indicators for sharing information that is analytically robust. Te Raranga supported by Christian NGO’s includes world Vision, TEAR Fund, Christian World Service, the Forum that collaborates with the City Council and the Ministry of social Development and CERA.
Te Raranga became a Trust in 2014, to help the church, encouraging the church to be a prophetic voice together in the City, the Nation and the World. Te Raranga- In 2014 Joseph and Lesley Lee went to Samoa on a business contract with the UN and the Samoan Govt. 8th December 2020 Beehive source of information ‘Making NZ Safer for everyone
The government announcing a raft of initiatives in response to the recommendations made by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Terrorist Attack CH CH 15th March 2019. Actions to promote Inclusion for all NZrs, recognizing the value of diversity. The Govt supporting diverse communities. Establishing a National Centre of Excellence to focus on diversity, Social Cohesion. Trialing support for young children to improve their self regulation, resilience and social skills.
The Govt tackling harmful behavior and discrimination by establishing the NZ Police program Te Raranga to respond to Hate Crime and Hate Incidences. Strengthening the capacity of the NZ Human Rights Commission. Implementing early intervention to prevent terrorism, violent extremism through multi agency coordination prevention program. Making changes to the Incitement provisions of the Human Rights Act, includes amending protections against discrimination, racism and risks to safety. The Minister of Diversity Inclusion and Ethnic Communities “The government is committed to ensure all people feel safe, they belong, are valued, can contribute’
Human Rights Act to include amending protections against discrimination to explicitly protect gender diverse and intersex people. Extending the Safer Communities Fund. The Govt in response to recommendation 30 established a Ministry for Ethnic Communities to increase manna improve leadership within the public sector, provide greater ability as to ongoing work to better support, respond to the needs of diverse communities. A graduate program, a National Centre of Excellence was formed to bring together academia, civil society, govt to research, prevent radicalization, social cohesion in NZ, to guide the work of policy agencies across govt.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry was clear that there was a need to improve responses, recordings of hate crime incidents, to reduce hate crime, a victim centric approach to hate incidents – hate crime to work with partners to develop restorative justice options for victims, communities, and those that cause harm. As well as this graduate programme, a National Centre of Excellence will be formed that will bring together academia, civil society and government to research the prevention of radicalization, social cohesion in a New Zealand context and guide the work of policy agencies across government
Te Raranga program improve front line practice to identify, record, manage hate motivate incidents and hate crime. Early intervention by enhancing social Inclusion in NZ Society, proactively responding to harmful behavior. Strengthening laws against Inciting Hatred. The Minister of Justice confirmed that the Govt intended to strengthen laws relating to hate motivated activity, hate against an individual or group.
Cabinet agreed to a number of measures to improve Human Rights Act 1993 relating to Incitement to Hate against an individual or group. Establishing an engagement process with community groups to discuss changes. (Poto Williams and Kris Faafoi). Hate Speech is a term with varied meaning and has no single, consistent definition. What one perceives is hateful may not be perceived as hateful to another person.
Incitement to Hate Speech. Hate Speech Section 61 and 131 of Human Rights Act 1993 International obligations. Article 4(a) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination requires States to:- Declare an offense punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred, incitement to racial discrimination as well as all acts of violence or incitement to such acts against any race or group of persons of another colour or ethnic origins.
This has not taken into consideration International Laws that NZ Govt has agreed to such as The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Or the International Convention of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (29th November 1972) which NZ Ratified. The point I make here is that anyone can accuse you of hate speech, incitement to hatred and discrimination . This is dystopian and is weaponized by leftist woke, who actually decides what speech falls foul of hate speech standards?
What qualifies the difference between like and detest. Is there technical or legal rules of evidence? An imagined dystopian territory. Where you can appear before the courts have your cellphone, computer taken by police. The Orwellian Thought Police, policing and imprisonment for hateful things you have not said yet. So has NZ First really covered out backs. Note NZ First Members Bill states “Everyone can have their say as long as it is within the Law.
WHAT ABOUT THE INCITEMENT TO HATE SPEECH THAT VIOLATES FREEDOM OF OPINION, EXPRESSION Where revolutionary minority leftist woke groups are protected under the Social Justice Umbrella of the NZ Human Rights Commission? Minority Revolutionary groups self determining rights over the majority population of NZ. Where does Winston stand on this???
LINKS:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/making-new-zealand-safer-everyone
https://christchurchattack.royalcommission.nz/publications/comp/hate-speech-sections-61-and-131-of-human-rights-act-1993/
https://www.nzsis.govt.nz/assets/NZSIS-Documents/Know-the-signs.pdf
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