The battle against the Electoral Finance Bill goes legal

I am delighted with the application in the High Court for a judicial review of the Attorney General's decision to notify that the Electoral Finance Bill does not breach the Bill of Rights.

That advice, based on a Crown Law office opinion, has been relied on heavily by the Government to discredit submissions from the Human Rights Commission and the NZ Law Society (and many individual ) that the Electoral Finance Bill does breach the Bill of Rights.  In fact the Human Rights Commission correctly labels it a “dramatic assault” of two of our treasured freedoms – speech and political participation.

All New Zealanders should be grateful to , the , John Boscawen and Rodney Hide that the are going to give us the opportunity to have a judicial ruling on who is right – does the EFB breach the Bill of Rights.

The court can not stop the Bill.  Parliament is supreme.  But if it finds that the Attorney-General was wrong in the Crown Law assertion there is no breach, then that will have a powerful and hopefully persuasive effect on .

The initial court hearing is on Monday. I plan to be there.

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