Media Release 9 February 2023
Right to Life believes that the government’s war on free speech has not been defeated, it has only been postponed till after the general election. It is believed that the government’s agenda is to control what we believe and say by criminalising speech that they hate.
Right to Life is opposed to all speech that expresses hostility towards or excites contempt and hostility for people. The Human Rights Act already provides legal redress and does not need amendment.
Right to Life welcomes the announcement of the Prime Minister, Christopher Hipkins to withdraw the Human Rights [Incitement on grounds of Religious Belief] Amendment bill. It is the government’s intention to refer the contentious issue of hate speech and the curtailment of free speech to the Law Commission for advice on future hate speech laws that would hopefully receive support from the opposition in Parliament.
Right to Life believes that the government’s ultimate objective is to outlaw speech that they hate. It is our belief that the government hates speech that challenges the government’s promotion of abortion and euthanasia as “health services”
Right to Life is opposed to the killing of unborn children and the terminally ill as a violation of human rights. It is our belief, that it is the government’s intention to ultimately outlaw as hate speech, all speech which upholds the right to life of the unborn child and the vulnerable in society.
This contentious bill is currently with the Justice Select Committee that is considering submissions made by the public. The Committee was directed to report back to Parliament by 13 June 2023.
Right to Life believes that this decision is politically motivated. The government is aware that current polls indicate that Labour could lose the general election. The government believes that withdrawing this highly contentious bill will increase its prospects of re-election on 14th October 2023.
The Minister of Justice had previously instructed the Law Commission to advise it on the need for hate speech laws. The Commission commenced in January 2023 to examine the protections in the Human Rights Act for transgender people, non-binary people and people with diverse sex characteristics.
Right to Life does not trust the Law Commission to protect our right of free speech. We will never forget how the Commission betrayed women and their precious unborn by shamefully colluding with the government of Jacinda Ardern to deny the humanity of unborn children and their right to life by taking abortion out of the Crimes Act and making their killing “a reproductive health issue”. The Commission meekly concurred with the government that it was no longer a crime to kill an unborn child. Why then should we trust the Commission to protect our right of free speech?
Right to Life requests that the government upholds our right of free speech by upholding the Human Rights Act 1993 and ceasing any attempt to amend it by introducing hate speech legislation.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc.