Friday, October 08, 2004
Citizenship Bill threatens civil liberties
New Zealand is currently reviewing its citizenship and passport procedures in a wide-ranging Bill before Parliament. It's supposedly in the name of combating terrorism, but many submitters have pointed out that many personal freedoms are under threat because of the broad nature of the Bill.
The Human Rights Foundation - in an excellent submission to the Select Committee - says the government in fact is subverting parliamentary standing orders and conventions in the way it is handling the Bill.
Many of the measures in the Bill are the result of pressure from other governments rather than because they are really needed here. To quote from the submission: "The amendments in the present Bill bring to mind the recent comments of Dr Rodney Harrison QC about the increase in this sort of legislation: “…in many instances the legislation or proposed legislation is not aimed at combating terrorism, but at indiscriminately curtailing the freedom of everyone, New Zealand citizens included. What we are regularly seeing is omnibus Parliamentary Bills, amending a wide range of legislation and increasing the powers of a variety of officials: Police, the Security Intelligence Service, Immigration Officers, Customs Officers, Ministers of the Crown. The powers being sought and so readily conferred by Parliament in the name of the “war on terrorism” are quite frequently much broader than, and sometimes even unconnected with, any conceivable goal of fighting terrorism. They appear to stem from an unholy mix of Executive empire-building, and appeasement of the United States.” [Address to University of Waikato Law Graduates at the 20 April 2004 Graduation Ceremony]
New Zealand is currently reviewing its citizenship and passport procedures in a wide-ranging Bill before Parliament. It's supposedly in the name of combating terrorism, but many submitters have pointed out that many personal freedoms are under threat because of the broad nature of the Bill.
The Human Rights Foundation - in an excellent submission to the Select Committee - says the government in fact is subverting parliamentary standing orders and conventions in the way it is handling the Bill.
Many of the measures in the Bill are the result of pressure from other governments rather than because they are really needed here. To quote from the submission: "The amendments in the present Bill bring to mind the recent comments of Dr Rodney Harrison QC about the increase in this sort of legislation: “…in many instances the legislation or proposed legislation is not aimed at combating terrorism, but at indiscriminately curtailing the freedom of everyone, New Zealand citizens included. What we are regularly seeing is omnibus Parliamentary Bills, amending a wide range of legislation and increasing the powers of a variety of officials: Police, the Security Intelligence Service, Immigration Officers, Customs Officers, Ministers of the Crown. The powers being sought and so readily conferred by Parliament in the name of the “war on terrorism” are quite frequently much broader than, and sometimes even unconnected with, any conceivable goal of fighting terrorism. They appear to stem from an unholy mix of Executive empire-building, and appeasement of the United States.” [Address to University of Waikato Law Graduates at the 20 April 2004 Graduation Ceremony]
