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Free Speech Union
Remember how we crowdfunded successful Court proceedings so that Speak Up for Women could hold a meeting in a library about proposed law changes before Parliament? It turns out the exercise cost the Palmerston North City Council more than $30,000 to defend its outrageous deplatforming.
Also revealed under freedom of information laws, not a single member of the public had actually laid a complaint about the proposed event. It appears the deplatforming was motivated by two of the City’s own councillors.
Stuff reports it was two Councillors, Rachel Bowen and Lorna Johnson (pictured), who kicked up a fuss about the meeting taking place and instigated the costly litigation.
Palmerston North ratepayers are now out of pocket by tens of thousands of dollars due to the decision to try and cancel the booking. But in a statement to Stuff, the Council said it had “no opinion” about the costs it incurred.
In his decision, Justice Gerald Nation said the booking cancellation involved a “serious failure” to recognise Speak Up for Women’s rights under the Bill of Rights Act.
