Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water!
Welcome to 2004, and the myriad legislative delights that it will bring. In most western countries, 2003 was a watershed year, when human rights were high on the agenda of most governments and courts. In New Zealand, for instance, this led to such law as the decriminalisation of prostitution, and the (thankfully temporary) position that a family can be anything you like to call it, including people with "significant psychological attachment". Although that bit of nonsense was finally knocked on the head - but only after intense lobbying by opposition parties - the flavour lingers long in the mouths of government MPs. In the US and Canada, we saw homosexual marriage effectively legalised, and courts across the land silencing Christian expression in public places.
One move that slipped me by, but is hugely significant, is that Canada has moved to allowed Muslims to govern themselves by Sharia law. This is judicial madness! You cannot have a country espousing two legal codes, particularly when they are so different from each other. It is a recipe for social disaster.
Things aren't much better in the United Kingdom. Huge pressure is being put on England to bring its legal system into line with the rest of the European Union. This could do away with a foundational principle of British justice (the write of habeas corpus), that you cannot be jailed without being charged and brought to trial.
Meanwhile, 2004 in New Zealand promises legal delights ranging from how to decide who controls the nation's foreshore and seabed, to moves towards homosexual marriage (the Civil Unions Bill), virtually uncontrolled human genetic experimentation, and increased children's rights.
It's going to be a wild ride!
Welcome to 2004, and the myriad legislative delights that it will bring. In most western countries, 2003 was a watershed year, when human rights were high on the agenda of most governments and courts. In New Zealand, for instance, this led to such law as the decriminalisation of prostitution, and the (thankfully temporary) position that a family can be anything you like to call it, including people with "significant psychological attachment". Although that bit of nonsense was finally knocked on the head - but only after intense lobbying by opposition parties - the flavour lingers long in the mouths of government MPs. In the US and Canada, we saw homosexual marriage effectively legalised, and courts across the land silencing Christian expression in public places.
One move that slipped me by, but is hugely significant, is that Canada has moved to allowed Muslims to govern themselves by Sharia law. This is judicial madness! You cannot have a country espousing two legal codes, particularly when they are so different from each other. It is a recipe for social disaster.
Things aren't much better in the United Kingdom. Huge pressure is being put on England to bring its legal system into line with the rest of the European Union. This could do away with a foundational principle of British justice (the write of habeas corpus), that you cannot be jailed without being charged and brought to trial.
Meanwhile, 2004 in New Zealand promises legal delights ranging from how to decide who controls the nation's foreshore and seabed, to moves towards homosexual marriage (the Civil Unions Bill), virtually uncontrolled human genetic experimentation, and increased children's rights.
It's going to be a wild ride!
