The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand

10 April 2007

Abolish arcane sedition laws: Republican Movement

The Republican Movement calls for the abolition of New Zealand’s arcane sedition laws.

"We believe that one of New Zealand's defining values is its tolerance and acceptance of different races, religions and, most importantly, different points view,” said Lewis Holden, president of the Republican Movement.

These values are clearly undermined by the law of sedition. For this reason the Republican Movement supports the Law Commission, the Council for Civil Liberties and MPs Keith Locke and Peter Dunne in their call for sedition to be abolished.

“If we needed a better reason for the abolition of sedition, we only need to look at the Monarchist League’s most recent press release where they suggested sedition was needed for the “defending [of] our constitutional monarchy against destructive influences” such as “the threat from fanatical wings of Islam”. The monarchists’ would have us believe that we should have a law that undermines New Zealand’s defining values as a democracy” continued Mr Holden.

“They are kidding themselves if they think their defence of sedition isn’t self-interested. In February 2005 they stated that questioning whether Prince Charles should become King of New Zealand was “possibly seditious” – clearly indicating they would have the law of sedition used to prevent any debate on the future of the monarchy.”

Mr Holden also added that the Crimes Act 1961 has many other sections to deal with actions such as Mr Timothy Selwyn’s publication of pamphlets on the Foreshore and Seabed Act - which he was found guilty of sedition for - after throwing an axe through the Prime Minister’s electorate office. Had there been no law of sedition, Mr Selwyn could easily have been tried for incitement.

“In fact, there are sections in the Crimes Act against treason, incitement, sabotage, criminal nuisance, threatening to destroy property, threatening acts and even conspiring to prevent collection of rates or taxes” concluded Mr Holden.

ENDS

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