The parliamentary kangaroo court reaches its decision

 

Parliament's Privileges Committee has backed Speaker Trevor Mallard and his ruling for Advance New Zealand to take down a political video from its social media channels about Covid-19 vaccinations.

But the party is defying the ruling and the video, which falsely claims that Labour will force people to be vaccinated, remained on its Facebook page this afternoon.

And the party is unlikely to face any consequences before the election because Parliament dissolves next Sunday, leaving too narrow a timeframe for the committee to penalise the party.

Mallard previously asked the party to remove the video - called "Say No to Labour's Forced Vaccination Agenda" - and referred the matter to the committee because he said it breached the rules of using Parliamentary footage.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/decision-2020/advance-nz-vaccination-video-blatant-doctoring-and-misleading

Media Release - 1 September 2020

Privileges Committee acts like kangaroo court

The Co-Leader of Advance NZ, Jami-Lee Ross, has hit out at Parliament’s Privileges Committee for presenting a report to Parliament with no input from the persons or party accused of breaching Parliament’s rules.

“The Privileges Committee has acted like a kangaroo court by holding a meeting, taking advice, forming a conclusion, and then making a finding, all without any input from those standing accused; myself and Advance NZ,” says Mr Ross.

“This process makes a mockery of Parliament’s so-called powerful Privileges Committee.

“The Committee has not followed any principles of natural justice or fair process, and has made no effort to seek a view, or defence, from us despite the fact we are accused in their report of breaching Parliament’s rules.

“The members of the Committee have acted unilaterally against us.

“We entirely reject the Speaker’s first decision on the video on our Facebook Page.

“We now entirely reject the view of the Privileges Committee.

“The claim that coming dissolution of Parliament meant the Committee could not undertake any further process is false.

“The Committee has an entire week to call for submissions and evidence from us.

“Billy Te Kahika and I have been available to meet the Committee in person, or electronically, at any time.

“The Committee has chosen not to take up that opportunity.

“This is the standard of democracy we have come to expect from the current big parties in Parliament.

“They hold a behind closed doors meeting, decide an outcome, with no opportunity for people to defend themselves. 

“The Speaker’s decision to order us to take down a legitimate piece of political advertising was an unreasonable and draconian measure in an attempt to censor a political party’s videos in the middle of an Election campaign. 

"Our Party was founded on the principle of standing up for New Zealanders’ rights and freedoms against political overreach and measures that dismantle democracy.

“Parliament has already trampled on the Bill of Rights multiple times this term. 

“It passes wide ranging laws under urgency and does so without consultation. 

“We will call out the Government when it passes laws allowing mandatory testing, mandatory quarantine, mandatory lockdowns, and warrantless entry powers.

“Now we are calling out the Government for passing laws that enable them effectively to force everyone, including citizens, to be vaccinated if they want to travel into New Zealand. 

“We will continue to do so."

ENDS

Labour & NZ First Not To Be 

Trusted, NZ Detention 

Centre? WHO Lockdown BS, 

Woman Jailed Negative C19

 

 

This is my video from yesterday