Comments on: Well that got my attention

By: AH

AH — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:29:21 +0000

@DPF – for some background check out the Regulation of Investigatory Powers act (RIPA) from the UK.
If the NZ version is half as sweeping as the original UK version, we’re in pooh.
There was a big backlash against RIPA when it was in the Bill stage in the UK, and it did fortunately get watered down in powers and toughened up in oversight/control of who could use the act.
Doesn’t matter who wrote the Bill, it’s going to be our act.

@Flashman – always liked the retorts to the ‘nothing to hide’ presumption by Govt. Still, if the MP’s & Govt of the day had nothing (about their expenses) to hide, they’d have nothing to fear either.

By: Flashman

Flashman — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:42:10 +0000

In the current context, let’s not forget the mantra of Clark’s legislative apologists and praise singers:
“Comrade. If you have nothing to hide and stay within the law, you have nothing to fear.” I guarantee that this legistlation will be spun – by National – using the self-same line of BS.

This legislation is a dire threat to civil liberties and New Zealand’s democracy.

By: Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:27:58 +0000

I work in law enforcement… This is bad, the stuff cowboys love…

By: Banana Llama

Banana Llama — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:17:48 +0000

Whats the bet this will go through in one form or another, not once do i hear of government limiting their overall power, we just had this current government ignore a referendum so they could horse trade with each other whats individual privacy in comparison.

By: RRM

RRM — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:39:13 +0000

Wow… how many beers have you had so far? (I’m just finishing my first.)

For a “historian” you sure read like an angry little disaffected person to me.

By: Murray

Murray — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:32:12 +0000

Well being an historian there’s a better than average chance that I’m not talking out of hole in my ass.

No one waving placard everyone anything worth dick. Our rights are hard earned and hard kept. We’re also one of the most war like country for its population on the planet. Our recent history would have made it clear to you if you any comprehension of actual history, not the party plotical soundbites you use as an excuse for not emplying your own brain.

Dear leader Clark put more kiwis in combat zones than any other PM since WWII. Including Iraq. Shame the facts don;t really feel the need to conform to your speceptions but reality is a stubborn bitch that way.

RRM talks shit, must be a day ending in y.

By: RRM

RRM — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:25:23 +0000

Murray:
“I have a hint, go to any small town any where in New Zealand and you’ll find a structure of some kind covered with a list of names. Thats bloody why.”

I’m sorry but you have it all arse-about-face if you really see our history as a set of obligations instead of a source of inspiration. We are very lucky in New Zealand to have a mainly-virtuous recent past to look at, containing little to give us cause for soul searching… something I imagine many native Germans would envy. If “what would grandpa do” is really sufficient for you in setting the correct course to continue on, then you are lucky grandpa was on the virtuous path, but not a lot is really able to be said about your own good judgement.

And it should be obvious to all here that increasing state power to pry and interfere is undesirable and should be resisted. This thread is nothing more than an exercise in shouting “me too!”… stop taking it so seriously. And Masturbaiter is a nutter.

“A magic 8 ball could make the same claim Bevan.”
But if it’s MAGIC, surely and without a doubt it would make more sense than me – that would be its magic power.

By: backster

backster — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:13:06 +0000

Rosslyn NOONAN was of course a hard left Unionist who raised few objections to anything during the Clark Tyranny and her appointment as Chief Human Rights Commissioner was more about the preservation of Socialism than any concern that administration had for the individual or freedom. There is no need for her office their are over a hundred elected MPs who should be filling the functions of her office.

By: davidp

davidp — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:54:28 +0000

MikeE>Anything that allows warrentess searches of private property should be fought at every opportunity.

I’m with you on this. The most serious violator of this principle at the moment is Customs. They x-ray bags at the airport and seem to have the right to open them up and go through the contents just because they feel like it. Why should people be subject to a search just because they’ve traveled overseas?

It isn’t search related, but I’m not sure that I agree with number plates for cars. There would be rioting in the streets if you required people to wear an identifying number in public, but we seem to be happy to require this if someone travels in a car. It can’t be crime related because crimes are committed by people both with and without cars.

By: Murray

Murray — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:41:41 +0000

A magic 8 ball could make the same claim Bevan.

By: Bevan

Bevan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:27:36 +0000

Redbaiter = anonymous nut-case on the internet who can’t argue anything without the ad hominem. I can picture the vein on his forehead swelling at this very moment.

Yet he still makes more sense than yourself…

By: nickb

nickb — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:15:25 +0000

“From ACT right through to Jim Anderton’s Neanderthals, progressive ideas dominate the political landscape. ”

What about the Libertarianz?

Nah, just trying to wind you up Reddy. Hah

By: Murray

Murray — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 02:15:07 +0000

Yeah why the hell should we retain our rights when they’re inconvienient to our politicians?

I have a hint, go to any small town any where in New Zealand and you’ll find a structure of some kind covered with a list of names. Thats bloody why.

By: nickb

nickb — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:58:55 +0000

“And while we are on the topic, just why should we retain the right to silence? After all, we would like to think we live in a more enlightened age than when such a concept was necessary, don’t we?”

Hah.

Why don’t we just bug every citizen’s home, and have roving surveillance vans picking up civilian’s conversations? If they have got nothing to hide they will be fine, and imagine the crime-fighting imapct!

By: philu

philu — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:40:33 +0000

no red..the removal of the right to silence is planned by national/act/maori party..

nothing ‘facetious’ about that at all..

or..didn’t you know about that yet..?

phil(whoar.co.nz)

By: F E Smith

F E Smith — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:37:55 +0000

By: RRM

RRM — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:35:39 +0000

Aha! He is too. my bad.

I, er, stand by everything I just said however. You on the other hand still haven’t actually said anything…

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:31:23 +0000

“That is all very well ”

He’s being facetious you black hole dense waste of space.

By: Adolf Fiinkensein

Adolf Fiinkensein — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:30:51 +0000

Repton, what I’m saying is that you should at least read the bill before you shoot your mouth off. I take it you CAN read? Oh, sorry! It’s obvious you can read but cannot comprehend the words.

If you read the bill carefully, you might find it difficult to sustain some of the hysterical complaints put forward in this morning’s Herald.

By: RRM

RRM — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:22:50 +0000

Masturbaiter:
The topic isn’t NZ’s supposed infestation with Progressives, no matter how much you’d like to bring your hobby horse to this party.

F.E. Smith:
That is all very well if you want to have laws based on an assumption that you can trust the Authorities. Personally I think the veneer of human (even western) civilisation is a pretty thin one and I would rather not have all sorts of summary powers in place, ready and waiting for the wrong would-be dictator to come along and give us all a raping with them. Maybe slippery slope arguments are for conspiracy theorists, I just don’t think it’s worth the risk!