'Hate' is subjective: whether speech or crime
Dear Minister Goldsmith,
'Hate' is an important term referencing a powerful emotion. Where individuals in our society are targets of hate, we must work to counter this hate and promote tolerance and inclusiveness.
'Hate' is a powerful term, but an unavoidably subjective one; this is true whether it is used against word or action.
It is not the role of our criminal justice system or laws more generally to regulate this emotion.
We have insisted that 'hate' speech laws would simply introduce a means to censor unpopular opinions. We applaud your decision to stop work on these proposals.
'Hate' crime laws suffer from the same weaknesses and have no place in a liberal democracy that values freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the rule of law.
Introducing 'hate' crime laws would see police and the judiciary tasked with deciding if one individual acted more criminally than another despite breaking the very same law, based on their motivations not their actions.
We have no interest in defending criminal actions. If an individual breaks the law, they must be held accountable. But the law must apply impartially, regardless of who breaks it. There aren't 'right' reasons to break the law, or reasons that are 'more wrong' than others.
Breaking the law for 'hate' shouldn't stand alone as a category any more than breaking the law for 'love'. Who is impartial enough to determine objectively when either of these would apply?
Keep our laws impartial, the rule of law strong, and our speech and consciences free.
We call on Hon. Paul Goldsmith, the Minister of Justice, to reject all advice to develop 'hate' crime legislation that would introduce unacceptable subjectivity into our laws, and be used to target unpopular perspectives and unorthodox beliefs.
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Aroha Mahoney signed 2024-04-20 10:26:23 +1200
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Shane Sturgeon signed 2024-04-19 10:39:38 +1200
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Stephen Dowe signed 2024-04-19 09:35:21 +1200
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Rebekah Wong signed 2024-04-19 09:08:45 +1200
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Kathleen Alexander signed 2024-04-19 08:01:47 +1200
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Doug Griffin signed 2024-04-19 07:41:58 +1200
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Michael Nel signed 2024-04-19 07:06:58 +1200
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Amanda Fraider signed 2024-04-19 07:00:44 +1200
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sharon hagan signed 2024-04-19 05:17:38 +1200
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Tony Morgan signed 2024-04-19 02:37:00 +1200
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Brenda Spiller signed 2024-04-18 23:42:10 +1200
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Judy Brooking signed 2024-04-18 22:21:25 +1200
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V Robinson signed 2024-04-18 20:44:18 +1200
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Michael Thoms signed 2024-04-18 20:35:20 +1200
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Julie Halligan signed 2024-04-18 20:25:14 +1200
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Tony Pieromaldi signed 2024-04-18 19:23:05 +1200
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stef mann signed 2024-04-18 19:06:25 +1200
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Nathan Lumb signed 2024-04-18 17:49:37 +1200
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Dona Lindsay signed via Dona Lindsay 2024-04-18 16:22:06 +1200
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David Buck signed 2024-04-18 16:08:57 +1200‘Hate speech’ is nothing but a sad, cheap excuse for censorship and an attack on free speech.
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David Etherington signed 2024-04-18 14:52:50 +1200
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Chudleigh Haggett signed 2024-04-18 14:27:54 +1200Who makes the rules? This will be nothing but a licence to silence decent! Very undemocratic.
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Lorraine Maffey signed 2024-04-18 14:26:20 +1200
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Regan Smith signed 2024-04-18 11:58:04 +1200These laws should have no place in any country, it’s just a method of control and is too subjective
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Shane Scott signed 2024-04-18 09:34:12 +1200
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Fin Moore signed 2024-04-18 08:02:18 +1200A free country operates on free speech. Enough dialogue eventually shuts down real “hate speech.” Education involves more knowledge, not less.
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Jennifer Cunningham signed 2024-04-18 07:56:49 +1200
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Leeann Walker signed 2024-04-18 06:39:03 +1200
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Frame Adrianne signed 2024-04-17 23:49:08 +1200
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Sonja Smith signed 2024-04-17 23:17:09 +1200
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