Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 29/10/24

Freedom of speech – Judith Collins sounds a caution against criminalising what people say

Judith Collins has gone out to bat for our right to freedom of speech.

She cautioned against criminalising speech that forms part of public discourse.

Speech that was offsensive or insulting should be condemned, but “without always needing to resort to measures that create a chilling effect on freedom of expression.”

Gary Judd KC: The rule of law exists to protect people

It imposes obligations on government not on citizens

The Law Association’s LawNews today published my article under the title, What is the rule of law? I have chosen a different title here because I wish to emphasise that the article is not an article for lawyers but for everyone. Here’s a link to the Law Association’s publication. I have added the footnotes which LawNews did not include; they probably are for lawyers, mostly!

There is a strange confusion abroad that the rule of law requires citizens to obey the law.