NZ Council for Civil Liberties

Steven Ensslen

Articles / Submissions

Submission: Policing Amendment Bill

The Council strongly objects to the Policing Amendment Bill. This bill removes all limits on Police powers to record people’s activities. This bill enables police to break up any gathering, remove people from any location, and detain people on suspicion that they might return. The bill is yet another example of the government reacting to illegal Police behaviours by making them legal. Keep reading “Submission: Policing Amendment Bill”

Submissions

Submission: Data and Statistics (Census) and Electoral (District Boundaries) Amendment Bills

The Council opposes both bills, primarily for the same reasons as the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination opposes: data will inevitably decline in quality, especially data about Māori, Pasifika, and other minorities. Keep reading “Submission: Data and Statistics (Census) and Electoral (District Boundaries) Amendment Bills”

Submissions

Submission: Regulatory Systems (Internal Affairs) Amendment Bill

The Operation Burnham inquiry concluded that NZDF should not be uncritically trusted to oversee itself. Given that the IGD appears not to be overseeing NZDF either, the Public Records Act remains the primary safeguard we have as a nation to hold NZDF accountable for its mistakes. Keep reading “Submission: Regulatory Systems (Internal Affairs) Amendment Bill”

Submissions

Submission: Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Bill

The convention has been widely criticised for creating human rights problems. The convention requires New Zealand Police to invade the privacy of people here, upon receipt of demands from foreign police, without adequate safeguards like proportionality. It is far better for Aotearoa New Zealand to creatively implement treaties in ways which improve our country than to strictly adhere to the wording of treaties in ways which lower our standards.  Keep reading “Submission: Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Bill”

Submissions

Submission: Here ora? Preventive measures for community safety, rehabilitation and reintegration (NZLC IP54, 2024)

The Council opposes preventative detention and post-sentence orders in principle. We reluctantly acknowledge that we should not abolish preventative measures at this time. The Council generally supports the Law Commission's Preferred Approach, but we do note some objections. Keep reading “Submission: Here ora? Preventive measures for community safety, rehabilitation and reintegration (NZLC IP54, 2024)”

Submissions

Submission: Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill

The Council opposes the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill as it infringes on our civil liberties while not providing sufficient justification for doing so. It seems to us that the bill is more about political signalling than improving our justice system. Keep reading “Submission: Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill”