law

Categories under law

The Auckland Mayor’s powers

Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, October 18th, 2022 - 72 comments

Wayne Brown has by Mayoral decree ordered Watercare to stop working on the Three Waters reform.  But he should take legal advice because his decree has absolutely no legal force.

Has Uffindell been cleared?

Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, September 19th, 2022 - 98 comments

It appears that the Dew report may clear Sam Uffindell and he may be returned to National’s caucus.

Mark Mitchell is Kim Hilled on National Radio

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, August 29th, 2022 - 35 comments

National should learn.  They should never send an MP into an interview with Kim Hill unless they are completely prepared.  As Mark Mitchell learned this morning.

The Three Strikes abomination is no more

Written By: - Date published: 7:50 am, August 11th, 2022 - 44 comments

The three strikes legislation, the brainchild of dead baby identity stealing former ACT MP David Garrett, is no more.

National’s culture problem

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 pm, August 8th, 2022 - 139 comments

National MP Sam Uffindell has today been engaged in a media wide mea culpa after allegations that he bullied a young student and was expelled from Kings College have been publicised.

Human rights, culture wars and the right

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, June 17th, 2022 - 39 comments

Christopher Luxton has proposed that social media posts showing gang members wearing bling should be censored.  And in the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has railed against a ECHR decision which has upset his efforts to illegally extradite refugee status applicants to Rwanda.  These are different examples of something the right is finessing, culture wars against minorities in breach of their rights for political advantage.

 Gang Control Policy Is Back Big Time

Written By: - Date published: 6:08 pm, June 12th, 2022 - 16 comments

We are about to have a proper gang control  policy contest. It’s about time.

National’s anti gang policies and the Bill of Rights

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, June 12th, 2022 - 33 comments

This weekend National threw out a few hunks of red meat to some of its more rabid supporters by going to its old favourite of gang bashing.

The end of Roe v Wade

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, May 4th, 2022 - 149 comments

America’s status as a potentially failed republic is growing stronger with the highest court of the land having a draft judgment leaked in an apparent attempt to shore up a conservative majority position on overturning abortion rights.

And what have they done anyway?

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, February 2nd, 2022 - 107 comments

With Ardern getting a good-old media beat-down, remember here’s how to change a country for good like no one else but Labour can.

He’s not the messiah …

Written By: - Date published: 8:22 am, January 18th, 2022 - 125 comments

… he is allegedly a very naughty boy.

Blinken and Blind-Sided?

Written By: - Date published: 2:54 pm, January 16th, 2022 - 17 comments

Russian peacekeepers are already leaving Kazakhstan having nipped the ‘colour revolution’ in the bud. Blinken clearly didn’t have a clue when he said Russians never leave the house. Russian intelligence was superb. Now we wait for Russia’s response to US likely refusal to pull back from its borders. One thing I’d bet on – no invasion of Ukraine.

It’s Time.

Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, January 10th, 2022 - 324 comments

In seven or eight days from now, the dutiful lackeys of the NZ government and the public health dept they direct, are set to come after every child in NZ between the ages of 5 and 12 with injections of m-RNA to hand.

BORA vs pandemic mandate

Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, November 23rd, 2021 - 13 comments

The Bill of Right Act (BORA) is an interesting because it is what I would call a balancing act. It enshrines certain individual rights but they are not absolutes against community needs. So far the decisions about challenges to the vaccine mandate balance are supporting the Crown.

Chevron v Donziger

Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, October 9th, 2021 - 12 comments

Despite spending over two years on home detention Attorney Steven Donziger, who successfully sued Chevron for the environmental carnage caused by its activities in Ecuador, was sentenced to the maximum jail time for refusing to hand over devices containing confidential client information protected by attorney client privilege in a prosecution mounted by lawyers with Chevron links before a pro Oil industry Judge.

Act likes some rights but not others

Written By: - Date published: 7:50 am, July 22nd, 2021 - 37 comments

Following on from its campaign to protect freedom of expression Act has come out with policy on gangs which if enacted would involve some pretty egregious attacks on freedom of association and movement and due process.

Remember March 15

Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, March 15th, 2021 - 5 comments

Today marks the second anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shooting.

NZ Medical Association drops its opposition to the legalisation of cannabis

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, October 13th, 2020 - 38 comments

“So after staunchly opposing the legalisation of cannabis all year NZ Medical Association chair Kate Baddock has issued a statement and apology, in the middle of voting, saying actually the NZMA has “no position regarding the cannabis referendum”” – TVNZ political journalist Benedict Collins

NZ First and the SFO

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, September 30th, 2020 - 38 comments

Some random musings on the news yesterday that persons associated with NZ First had been charged by the Serious Fraud Office.

Everybody got together on that day as one brother

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, August 27th, 2020 - 32 comments

The sentencing of the Christchurch Mosque mass murderer was shaping up to be a circus and allow the person in the dock to spread his message of hate.  But so far it has been a cathartic event and has given the victims a chance to vent their feelings.  And it has provided a chance for us to reinforce our solidarity with our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government: Style over substance or a guiding light for progressive politics?

Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, August 10th, 2020 - 33 comments

Critics have dismissed the Jacinda Ardern government as being one of style over substance. This is unfair given the challenges this government has faced and the policy achievements it has had. However, it is a government that has much work to do if it wins a second term. And its over-reliance on Jacinda as party leader is a huge strategic risk, especially when the governments front bench is perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be lightweight.

Quarantine costs – critics fruitlessly whine

Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, July 30th, 2020 - 28 comments

I’m reasonably happy with where the coalition wound up on the quarantine cost recovery. It sends a clear economic signal to businesses and the fools who want to travel during a global pandemic. It will discourage some of the stupidity of the travel addicted. It also balances the legal position. Something that most of the critics clearly aren’t thinking through and cause them to whine without realistic alternatives

Hong Kong principles

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 pm, July 28th, 2020 - 38 comments

According to our Prime Minister, today’s announcement that New Zealand is suspending extradition arrangements with Hong Kong is because of our principles. But it is not immediately clear what these principles are, other than falling into line with our Five Eyes spying partners. Some history is important.

Black lives matter

Written By: - Date published: 1:09 am, June 6th, 2020 - 106 comments

The civil war may have ended slavery, the civil rights movement may have changed the legal framework ending segregation in the Southern States, but the idea that white people’s lives matter more has survived into the 21st century.

Jacinda is not like Muldoon

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, May 13th, 2020 - 97 comments

National has decided to play politics with Covid 19 and is opposing the Government’s attempt to pass legislation to secure level 2 arrangements. And has made the extraordinary claim that Jacinda Ardern is just like Rob Muldoon but with slogans.

Dimwitted habeas corpus duo

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, May 11th, 2020 - 28 comments

The well-known duo of Dermot Nottingham and Robert McKinney were the appellants in habeas corpus High Court case against Arden, Bloomfield, and Stuart-Black over the covid-19 lockdown. As was usual for this pair, the grounds that they made their case on were completely flawed, failed to be presented correctly, and make a damn good case against self-representation from vexatious litigants like them.

Parker gives Bridges a lesson in constitutional law

Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, May 9th, 2020 - 175 comments

In a Facebook Live event David Parker has schooled Simon Bridges on basic principles of constitutional law. And it appears that Bridges demand that legally privileged advice be handed over is heading to the Privileges Committee.

Phasing into phase 4

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, March 23rd, 2020 - 147 comments

Heading into phase three, moving into phase four 48 hours later. Here is the video briefing and the quick analysis.

Remember March 15

Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, March 15th, 2020 - 9 comments

Today marks the first anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shooting.

My reaction to a new Commissioner of Police

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, March 10th, 2020 - 15 comments

Previous readers of this site will be aware that I’m not a particularly  enthusiastic supporter of the police. I’m more in the order of regarding our current police of a necessary burden on society that could do with having considerable improvement. While I find most police members to be what I can respect. I find the organisation protects some real idiots. I pity a commissioner having to deal with this.

 

Red tape bonfire of the vanities

Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, March 9th, 2020 - 19 comments

National has promised a bonfire of regulations. Just like conservatives in Australia, the United Kingdom, America and previous National administrations.

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