LATEST UPDATE, 26 July, 2025
Scenario: Anyone who spoke out against the legitimacy of COVID-19 as a major threat was immediately branded a ‘misinformation spreader’ and / or ‘conspiracy theorist’ by Government officials and Mainstream Media. This was before any open public debate was allowed to happen.
Ever since then, open public debate on COVID-19 and its response still has not happened.
The Government in New Zealand is amending the Human Rights Act 1993 to strengthen laws against incitement and hate speech, including expanding protections to include religious belief.
The amendment specifically adds “religious belief” to the existing list of protected grounds, which currently includes color, race, ethnic or national origins.
The changes focus on strengthening the law against inciting hatred and discrimination, particularly in how it addresses hate speech and hate crimes.
The Government conducted extensive public consultations and engaged with community groups to gather feedback on the proposed changes.
The amendments are partly in response to recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque terror attacks, which highlighted gaps in current legislation.
The Human Rights Act 1993 already includes provisions (sections 61 and 131) that make it illegal to use words that are threatening, abusive, or insulting in a way that excites hostility or brings into contempt any group based on the grounds of color, race, ethnic or national origin.
The proposed amendments involve repealing certain sections of the Human Rights Act and inserting new provisions into the Crimes Act 1981 and the Summary Offences Act 1981.
Will these amendments and ‘protections’ provide more excuses for the Government to label anyone who disagrees with their definitions of ‘Hate Speech’ as criminals or even domestic terrorists?
Who will be in place to oversee the Government’s objectivity?
Who will be in place to oversee the overseers? Etc.