You know it’s an election year when the Government abandons an Ardern-inspired piece of legislation. The proposed new hate speech law is now on ice because it’s divisive, too hard to complete and unpopular; with the added downside of potentially costing Labour mainstream votes if they push it through.
Slicing and dicing New Zealanders into smaller and more manageable pieces was all fine and dandy for Ardern when she firmly held the reins of power, but three years of ineffective and draconian laws sent her and her party’s popularity plummeting. The times they are a’changing.
With Labour’s back against the wall it needs every vote it can get its hands on to hold onto power and this means mainstream voters, making the tiny Muslim vote dispensable.
This week PM Chris Hipkins said the Government will not support Recommendation 40 of the Royal Commission of enquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks, but will refer the draft hate speech legislation to the Law Commission who will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to finalise this contentious draft legislation, much less define how it will actually work.
For the time being and hopefully forever Section 131 of the Human Rights Act 1993 will not be repealed and no provision will be made to the Crimes Act 1961 for the offence of inciting racial or religious disharmony, based on an intent to stir up, maintain or normalise hatred, through threatening, abusive or insulting communication with protected characteristics that include religious affiliation.
Two public voices protested the death knell of hate speech law, both of them public appointments ostensibly to protect the rights of all NZ citizens. Someone might like to remind them there is no credibility in their long unpronounceable titles.
This is a failure of the Government to act on a key recommendation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain on 15 March 2019,” said Te Amokapua Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt.
“When we should have been coming together as a society to do all we can to ensure such horrific acts of terror never happen again, the Government has instead given way to often mis-informed and opportunistic political debate.”
“I think it is a very sad day that such a straightforward amendment to legislation has been dropped in this way,” said Kaikomihana Whakawhanaungatanga a Iwi Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon.
“Our heart goes out to the Muslim community here in Aotearoa New Zealand, who are most impacted by today’s announcement.”
Human Rights Commission
Paul Hunt and Meng Foon both inadvertently revealed that the proposed hate speech legislation did not represent all New Zealanders. It is an Ardern inspired sop for Muslim communities, making it doomed from the start.
In December 2020 Ardern promised Muslims a law change to protect them from hate speech and the supposedly automatic follow through that led to the Christchurch massacre. Any fool can see through the rationale of this argument and we are not fools.
Nevertheless, the Muslim community was appeased and drafting the contentious piece of legislation began, but unless you are Kim Jong-un, implementing it is fraught.
In the 2018 census 38% of the New Zealand population identified as Christian, which is a large chunk of voters. Chasing them down is unpalatable to the progressive Ministers of the Crown who are more inclined to regard conservative thinking Christians as antiquated, naive and unfashionable.
But chase them they must if Labour wants to win the next election.
New Zealand Christians do not see the need for new hate speech legislation. They are bound by the biblical edicts of love and forgiveness with, naturally, no appetite for mass shootings, blowing people up or lopping off heads. Rather than a societal threat, Christians are the backbone of Western civilisation and are heavily represented in voluntary and charity work.
And yet Christianity has a long history of being violently persecuted by other religions and despotic leaders of cruel regimes.
“More than 360 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s a staggering 1 in 7 believers. Open Doors has launched this year’s World Watch list highlighting the 50 countries where faith costs the most, with North Korea returning to number one as the world’s worst persecutor of Christians.”
Missions Box
The 10 countries persecuting Christians today are not Western.
Number 10 Sudan. Western Sudan has increased following a military coup violence and pressure against Christians have worsened.
At number 9 Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover those Christians who have not fled the country have been forced deep underground. If discovered, they face death.
Iran is at number 8. Iranian house churches are seen as a threat by the islamist regime. Church members who are caught are given long prison sentences.
Number 7 Pakistan. Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy laws are often used to target believers. Christian women and girls are vulnerable to kidnap and forced marriage.
Nigeria is at number 6. More Christians are killed in Nigeria than in all the other countries of the world combined. And the violence is getting worse.
Number 5, Libya. In this lawless land, both native and migrant Christians are targeted, kidnapped, and even killed.
At number 4 is Eritrea. Christians who dare to meet without official permission risk arrest. Over a thousand believers are in jail without charge.
Yemen is number 3 on the list. the humanitarian crisis continues and anyone suspected of being a Christian will be deliberately overlooked for aid and might be expelled or killed by their own tribe.
Number 2 is Somalia. Islamic militants are intensifying their hunt for Christians and violent attacks are increasing.
And at number 1, North Korea. The most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian. Spies are everywhere. Discovery means death, either by execution or by being worked to death in a labor camp.
Missions Box
Muslims can take heart from the number of Christians in the NZ community who respect the rights of others and obey the laws of the land. They are not a threat to other religions but a buffer against exploitation and a refuge for those needing it.
