Justice & Democracy

There is a very disturbing side to the raids on Switched on Gardener hydroponics store. We learn that the shops are reopening on the condition that staff require customers to produce photographic ID. This is presented as a condition for giving bail to the staff that have been charged.

It was great to see so many people turn out in weekend protests against the Big Brother Search and Surveillance Bill. There were some novel touches. In New Plymouth a 'surveillance camera' was set up outside National MP Jonathan Coleman's office.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer has raised two issues: whether the return of US warship visits to our ports is possible, and whether it is desirable.

So far, the National Government has gotten off fairly lightly following a critical report on its record by the UN Human Rights Committee released last weekend.

The Tibetan flags being waved on Parliament’s lawn may have alerted passers by to the presence inside of high level Chinese delegation.  The delegation was Read More

Green MP Keith Locke joins the Friends of Tibet protest outside the Chinese Embassy, Wellington NZ This morning I joined the Friends of Tibet protest Read More

It is unfortunate that the High Court has knocked back the Police decision to reclassify some rifles with pistol grips as military style semi-automatics (MSSAs). Read More

It might not all be plain sailing for the ‘up to 200 young New Zealanders’ who will be able to spend one year on a Read More

There is stiff competition among government departments as to who can produce the most vacuous documents. But no-one can beat the SIS and the Government Communications Security Bureau, both of whom tabled their annual reports yesterday.