New edition of classic NZ Civil Rights Handbook released
The latest edition of Tim McBride's classic New Zealand Civil Rights Handbook has just been released.
WCC backs down on city-wide liquor ban
The Wellington City Council has dropped plans to impose a city-wide liquor ban after strong public opposition. The current ban on consuming or carrying liquor has been extended from the inner city to Newtown and Mt Cook.
The NZCCL made a submission on the issue as did 603 others, with 76% of submissions opposing the ban.
NZCCL on Electoral Disqualification
New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties submission about the Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill. Current law says that prisoners given a sentence of longer than 3 years cannot vote. This bill extends that to all prisoners.
The Council opposes this change and recommends that this provision should be removed from the law, not extended.
Tony Ellis on Electoral Disqualification Bill
Tony Ellis, Barrister, has made a submission about the Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill. Currently prisoners sentenced to longer than 3 years cannot vote. This bill extends that to all prisoners.
Tony Ellis's submission opposes the change and quotes supporting material from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.
The full submission is attached.
Tech Liberty on Copyright/Filesharing
Tech Liberty has made a submission on the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Bill.
This is the replacement for the earlier s92A of the Copyright Bill. The original version was flawed on a number of grounds and highly offensive to civil liberties with its lack of due process ("guilt upon accusation") and intrusions into privacy.
The new bill is significantly better but Tech Liberty remains concerned that internet disconnection continues as a possible punishment.
Read the full text of the submission.
How technology changes privacy online
How much do you publish about yourself online? What can people find out about you by looking at your photos?
Tech Liberty writes an article about how improving technology can mean that data that was safe to share in the past can now reveal more than you expect.
ACTA: Bad for Civil Liberties
Tech Liberty has written an article about the ACTA treaty's implications for civil liberties in New Zealand.
It lists five areas for concern:
- Criminalisation of civil offences leading to judicial overkill.
- Statutory damages leading to the monetisation of the justice system.
- Secondary liability where the innocent are punished for the sins of the guilty.
- Revealing personal data to corporations is a breach of privacy.
- Technological protection measures take away the ability to use what you've paid for.
Read the full article.
Free Speech for Corporations in US
The US Supreme Court declared on 21 January 2010 in a landmark decision that corporations have all the rights of free speech that citizens have enjoyed since 1791.
Search & Surveillance Bill to be Redrafted
The Government has announced that the over-reaching Search and Surveillance Bill is being redrafted.
This is at least a partial victory for the large number of people and groups who opposed the original bill as being an unwarranted expansion of government power.
The new version should be available in July/August.
Proposal to amend Wellington City Council Liquor Control Bylaw - oral
Following on from the written submission, the New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties made an oral submission to the Wellington City Council about their intention to impose a city-wide ban on the consumption of liquor in any public places.
