Paul Goldsmith: Justice Minister discusses new law banning protests outside houses

The Justice Minister's promising the right to protest is being protected - as the Government moves to outlaw action outside people's homes.

Its new Bill would create a new offence for engaging in a targeted and disruptive demonstration outside a residence.

It would carry a maximum fine of two-thousand dollars, or three months in jail. 

Paul Goldsmith says New Zealanders value the right to protest, and also value privacy

He says they're dealing with issues targeted at individuals and personal residences.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The government is making disruptive demonstrations outside private homes and offense.
It says there have been increasing reports of demonstrations targeting
private residences of public people like MPs, judges and other
public officials, and the Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is with us.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, Hey, Paul, Hello, how are you, Heather?

Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm well, thank you? Which MP's have been targeted?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Sorry, I'm still thinking about the chicken with the skin
on You eat the skin on your chicken? Well, yes
I do sometimes and look at the state of you.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
I mean, you're trim, aren't you.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, I know, but that's anyway, that's that's all the
anxiety that comes with political life, you know.

Speaker 1 (00:35):
All right, So tell me which imps have been targeted.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well, I'm not going to go into that. Some have,
are you?

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Are you wanting to keep it?

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (00:44):
Are you wanting to keep its secret to avoid encouraging
others to do the same.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
Well, yes, it's not a great secret or anything like that.
It's not, but it's just the way. I don't think
we need to talk about that. But the fact is
that some have and it's not but the legislation that
we're proposing, it's not just for MPs, it's for anybody.
You should be able to not have demonstrations outside your
house making a racket and driving all the neighbors crazy.

(01:08):
And at the moment, the law doesn't really enable the
police to deal with that effectively, and so that's what
we're doing.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Paul, my understanding Tell me if I'm wrong, But my
understanding is that some MPs who have been who are
involved in ways in trying to deal with the Gaza conflict,
have been targeted by pro Palestinian demonstrations.

Speaker 2 (01:29):
Is that right, Well, yes, there has been some of that,
but it's not just that. I mean, it's a wide
variety of people. And look, so look we'll go after
select committee and people can talk about it because obviously,
you know, public demonstrations are important part of a democracy
and we're not about shutting that down willy nilly. But

(01:50):
where you're talking, I think somebody's home, somebody's residence, where
they live, where their family lives, shouldn't be a place
where you're exposed to things. And you know some of
these things, you know, at four o'clock in the morning,
making a racket and all that sort of thing is
not ide.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
You reckon Judges will enforce this though, because I mean,
we've had some demonstrations that have, for example, disrupted the
traffic in Wellington. You've had all kinds of stuff that
goes on, and judges just way that through. In fact,
they just let these guys off so they might get
this in front of them. Go, No, it's totally fine.
You're allowed to do that.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, of course, the judiciary is independent and we won't
be sort of what we're dealing with here is things
that are targeted at individuals and their personal residences. There
are broader things. Obviously we have a general right to protest,
but there are, as you say, broader issues in terms
of whether it costs people and affects other people's lives,
and that's something that has to be weighed up. But

(02:42):
that's not the particular focus of this change.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
I think your problem is going to be the judges. Now,
have you seen what the Supreme Court has just done
with the river beds?

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Yes? I have seen that, and I'll be asking for
some advice, but of course it won't be changing the
fact that we're still carrying our head.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
You f actually to your legislation on Macha that you've
already planned, have you factored this in.

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Not yet, but I'll get some advice as to whether
it has any impact on it or not. Yeah, but
it won't change the basic dynamic, which is all about
trying to get that balance right between the interests that
all New Zealanders have on the coastline and but still
retaining the ability so.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
The possibility that you actually do address this in your
updated legislation.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, well, I'll get some advice on the details.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
Okay, Paul, thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Enjoy your chicken skin.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
That's Paul Goldsmith, Justice Minister. For more from Hither Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news talks it'd be from
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.