Current Submissions

  • NZCCL Oral Submission on Electoral Disqualification

    Oral submission to the Law and Order Select Committee in respect of the Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill

  • 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. 

  • 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.

  • Proposal to amend Wellington City Council Liquor Control Bylaw - written

    The New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties made a written submission to the Wellington City Council about their intention to impose a city-wide ban on the consumption of liquor in any public places. Of particular concern was that this would give the Police the power to search any vehicle or container in the city without need of a warrant. 

  • Three Strikes - Sentencing and Parole Bill

    The New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties was invited to make a further written submission on the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill, also known as the "Three Strikes Law".

  • Review of Legal Aid

    NZCCL raises its concerns with the Ministry of Justice's Legal Aid Review.

  • Search and Surveillance Bill

    The Search and Surveillance Bill has very few measures to protect people’s civil liberties and human rights.

  • Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill 2009

    In its submission, NZCCL indicates that the Bill breaches the 1990 Bill of Rights Act, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

  • Policing Bill

    A submission by Tony Ellis on 28 March 2008 to the Law and Order Committee on the Policing Bill.

  • Reforming the Law of Sedition

    The Labour government repealed the sedition law in 2007 after recommendations of the Law Society.

  • Judicature Amendment (No 3)

    In its 2005 submission supporting the increase in the number of Appeal Court judges the NZCCL provides examples of delays in hearings, short cuts in judgements and the costs of using seconded judges. The Judicature Amendment Act (No 3) was passed in 2005.

  • Prisoners’ and Victim’s Claims Bill

    In its 2005 submission on the Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims Bill. NZCCL urged that the unprincipled Bill be withdrawn in its entirety, as it is in breach of the Bill of Rights Act and the Human Rights Act, and it puts our international reputation in jeopardy.

  • Customs Act Forfeiture and Seizure Powers

    NZCCL argued in this 2005 submission that the proposed rights of customs to apply seizure and forfeiture powers to goods even without proof of guilt is in breach of fundamental constitutional statutes, including the Bill of Rights 1688, and the Magna Carta, which still have legal applicability in New Zealand. The rights are also made explicit in Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the US Constitution and many other statutes including the New Zealand Bill of Rights. “…..

  • Judicial Matters Bill

    A submission by Tony Ellis on 20 November 2003 to the Justice and Electoral Committee on the Judicial Matters Bill, which was enacted as the Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Judicial Conduct Panel Act 2004.

  • Terrorism (Bombing and Financing) Bill

    The NZCCL Submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence And Trade Select Committee recommended the withdrawal of all the amendments to the Terrorism (Bombing and Financing) Bill.

  • Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill 2001

    A submission by Tony Ellis on 9 November 2001 to the Justice and Electoral Committee on the reforming the Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill.