Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Citizen rights trashed at Council meeting

Media Release

Date: Wednesday, 13 March 2002 9:27 p.m.

For Immediate Release

Citizen rights trashed at Council meeting

Tonight 17 otherwise law abiding citizens were forced into a situation where they were placed under arrest for exercising their democratic rights of freedom of expression.

Ordinary citizens were violently ejected by private body guards on the orders of the mayor picked people out for ejection based on no apparent reason other than they voiced an opinion he didn’t want to hear. While this was happening the police stood by and did nothing to protect the democratic of Auckland residents.

These actions demonstrate the politics of arrogance and confrontation practiced by John Banks and the ACRN Council members who sat there and let the unprovoked violence occur.

The item on the agenda, the sale of council housing, was never raised by John Banks or ACRN during the election campaign. This is one of many such issues that have never been mandated by either an election campaign, consultation processes with the public, or through the recommendations of council officers.

Ordinary citizens from all around Auckland City were subjected to the indignity of having their bags and pockets searched before they could enter the Town Hall. Once inside the Council meeting room, Banks refused to allow anyone speak in the public forums. . When one man objected to this decision, he was dragged from the room by several security guards on the orders of John Banks.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Later, a woman who had been sitting quietly was forcibly removed by four private security guards who carried her spread-eagled from the room, despite the efforts of many members of the public to stop this from happening. One of the women involved was later treated for the shock by the ambulance service.

These developments will be viewed with horror by most Auckland City residents. It is notable that under the worst excesses of the Les Mills mayoralty, someone well known for his bullying attitude, people were always allowed to speak and placards and banners were well tolerated.

This debacle needs to be reviewed urgently by Central Government, Human Rights and Civil Liberties to wipe tonight’s decisions from the books and to ensure that this Council cannot exercise their powers when they ride rough shod over the democratic rights of ordinary citizens to make a peaceful protest .

For further comment please contact:

Marney Ainsworth

Ph: 376 6213

Mob 021 284 7122

Email: marney@xtra.co.nz

Maire Leadbeater

Mob: 025-436 957

AH 815 9000

Email: maire@clear.net.nz

Peter Black

Ph 303 3068

Email pjsblack@xtra.co.nz

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.