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Four political parties have called on the Government to repeal sedition laws, saying they are an archaic affront to freedom and democracy.
The Law Commission last month recommended to Parliament that the laws should be abolished and today the Greens, United Future, ACT and the Maori Party said
it was time for action.
"In a country that champions itself as a free and fair democracy, the existence of sedition laws is an unnecessary restraint on the political rights of New Zealanders," the parties said in a joint statement.
"The problem we have with the law of sedition is that while it continues to exist in this country true freedom of expression is compromised."
Green Party MP Keith Locke, speaking at a joint press conference, said the issue was simple.
"The sedition laws violate free speech and our absolute right to criticise those in power.
"They make it illegal to excite disaffection against the Government -- every day in Parliament we do just that. As MPs we probably breach these laws every day."
Act MP Heather Roy said the sedition laws had been used by the State to commit "terrible acts of oppression" in the past.
Ms Roy said that since the 1920s the laws were thought to have been an historic anomaly, but they had been used in recent cases.
"We're now seeing sedition revived, apparently as a catch-all offence. We call on the Government to repeal them."
United Future leader Peter Dunne said the four parties represented 15 votes in Parliament, and the Government had a ready-made majority for a repeal bill which had already been drafted by the Law Commission.
The National Party would also have a majority if it picked the issue, the MPs said.
However, only the Government can bring a bill straight to Parliament. Other parties have to draft members bills, which go into a ballot and are sometimes not drawn for years.
The Law Commission presented its report the day before Easter and its president, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, said it was "high time" sedition laws were removed from the statutes.
"By abolishing sedition, we will better protect the values of democracy and free speech," the commission said.
Sedition is an ancient law intended to protect the Crown from attempts to undermine its authority. In New Zealand law it also stands as an offence against inciting lawlessness and disorder.
The MPs said incitement to violence was covered in the Crimes Act.
The Law Commission began its review of the laws last year, after a man was found guilty of sedition for putting an axe through Prime Minister Helen Clark's electorate office window, and issuing a pamphlet calling on others to commit similar acts in response to the foreshore and seabed legislation.
More recently a barman in Dunedin was charged with sedition after he published a promotional pamphlet offering students the chance to win a petrol-soaked couch and swap a litre of petrol for a litre of beer.
Mr Locke said he understood the Government was still considering the Law Commission report.
- NZPA
