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One of America's most watched cable television shows has made of mockery of our politicians' attempts to ban satire of Parliament.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, which pulls an audience of 1.4 million each night, explained that New Zealand's government recently passed an order prohibiting broadcasters from using footage of lawmakers in their parliament for satire.
"This cannot stand. As we have done so often in the past, once again America to the rescue," says host Stewart.
"For you may not be able to sh*t on your politicians but I can be your anus."
The Daily Show then aired clips of Prime Minister Helen Clark, deputy Michael Cullen and Cabinet Minister Phil Goff speaking in Parliament, punctuated with running commentary from Stewart, facts about New Zealand, and fart sounds.
Blogger David Farrar posted the segment from last week's show on his Kiwiblog website after being tipped off by a New Zealand politician who wished to remain anonymous.
The four main television networks announced they would defy them and they were criticised as an attack on free speech.
MPs voted on July 16 to institute the rules, which ban the use of images from the House in a way that satirises or ridicules MPs.
