The Justice and Electoral select committee has reported back [PDF] on the Crimes (Repeal of Seditious Offences) Amendment Bill and recommended that it be passed without amendment. The committee was convinced by the Law Commission's report, and rather dismissive of the two groups who opposed the bill, saying
we consider that the issues these submitters raised were clearly considered and addressed in the commission's report, and are outweighed by the need to ensure certainty in the law and its application, and the need to ensure that free speech and impartiality in censorship are protected.So much for the Maxim Institute...
When it passes will depend on the priority assigned to it by the government. Looking at the sitting calendar, the earliest it can have a second reading is September 11, but its more likely it'll be sometime after that. It will be interesting to see whether the bill goes through unanimously, or whether NZ First opposes it and tries to whip up Islamophobia again.
