The Crimes (Repeal of Seditious Offences) Amendment Bill passed its first reading unanimously tonight and has been sent to select committee. However, not all parties were wholehearted in their support. New Zealand First explicitly hedged its bets, citing fears of seditious Muslims (who seem to have replaced "asians" as the demons d'jour among the old and racist). Meanwhile, National seems to have changed its mind over the weekend, with Simon Power also hedging where Chris Finlayson and (IIRC) Richard Worth had previously offered wholehearted support. The bill will still pass anyway - there's no question that it has the numbers - but it depressing to see parties sacrificing a fundamental freedom of speech issue to preserve their ability to pander to racists and bigots.
Meanwhile, thanks to Hone Harawira, I seem to have been Hansarded for the first time. Score!
And possibly (?) a first explicit hansarding of a blogger. Congrats I/S, your persistence and work is definitely appreciated!
ReplyDeleteCan you give us a link so that we can bask in your glory :)
ReplyDeleteThe only down-side is that these gutless ninnies in parliament are too spineless to remove the other outdated thought-crime, section 123, from the lawbooks. Blasphemous Libel is an anachronism. Even more starkly ironic when you consider that you will, once this Bill passes into law, utter the most seditious statements about "king and country" but mutter something about a Goblin King or Pink Fairy or whatever mythical being you call God and you're still liable for up to a year in pokey for libelling this mythical person(s). Utter craziness. This Bill represented an opportunity to take a stand against woefully outdated, anti-democratic laws. But because MPs fear the Fairy Worshippers in their electorates...they defer. It's a crying shame. But I am happy the other thought-crimes got removed.
ReplyDeleteGeorge; Actually, Russell Brown has been mentioned in Parliament, and I'm fairly certain DPF has (oh, and CYFSWatch, of course). So I'm nowhere near the first. But my place in posterity is assured.
ReplyDeleteMuerk: Unfortunately, it takes them about a week to get Hansard online. Maybe then.
Yes well done.
ReplyDeleteHeh I've had the PM attack me by name, but that was in my role as a staffer, not a blogger :-)
I'm actually going to use NRT and the sedition issue as an example in a presentation I am giving in Australia in August on whether blogs have any bite.
It might be an appropriate time for a (virtual) public lecture or panel discussion on the role of bloggers in public law...
ReplyDeleteI've been mulling this idea over for a while - I'm sure the NZ Centre for Public Law would be willing to host...
d
David
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised - Jenny Shipley attacked you? What about?
Phil Lyth
In closing Madam Speaker, we'd like to honour those who have helped get this Repeal Bill to the table.
ReplyDelete...
- Idiot Savant for drafting a Bill and badgering us all to sponsor it;
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0706/S00384.htm
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ReplyDeleteNice one!
ReplyDeleteNext thing to watch for: when an MP rolls out your rhetoric without citing you ...
So when is Idiot Savant running for Member of Parliament?
ReplyDeleteMuerk: Oh god no - I'd have to talk to people. Not to mention join a political party, which is the sort of thing I've avoided.
ReplyDeleteHmm, when I search http://theyworkforyou.co.nz/ I get no results for Savant but 3 pages for Idiot. Shurley shome mishtake?
ReplyDeleteOh and WRT David's biting blogs reference can I propose a headline for his slide:
ReplyDelete"Blog Bites Man"
Anon: as I mentioned above, it takes about a week for Hansard to go online. TheyWorkForYou won't have it until then.
ReplyDeleteI/S - oh, is see. TWFY has Questions up from yesterday but debates from last week.
ReplyDeletehttp://theyworkforyou.co.nz/debates
Stunning effort that site and shame on Hansard for not releasing meta data in their HTML.
I was sort of joking anyway. The use of the term "idiot" seems quite prevalent :-)
Well Done I/S!!
ReplyDeleteAnd all the rest who got in behind.
Yes it looks like it will have the legs to pass, despite the quivering knees of a couple of wimps.
Macro
Nice job I/S. There must have surely been a slight laugh in the house when Idiot/Savant was named. Some most have thought: say what!
ReplyDelete