Graham Adams: Posie Parker to test Hipkins on free speech

The PM endorses a “contest of ideas” — but not for her.

Protesters noisily disrupting political rallies seem to be guaranteed for the few weeks left of this election season. So far, members of Brian Tamaki’s Freedoms NZ party have disrupted meetings held by both Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins — including Labour’s glitzy campaign launch in Auckland’s Aotea Centre on September 2.

Rodney Hide: Freedom!

One of the most invigorating things about Camp Freedom is the absence of fear. The protesters aren't scared. They move freely amongst the crowd and greet and socialise in the usual human ways. There are smiles, handshakes and hugs.

I am not a hugger but I could not help myself. I hugged at Freedomville. I felt human. I was a person not a biohazard.

It was so unbelievably joyful.

To step into the camp is to step into freedom. Stepping out was to cross back into tyranny where people fear each other and wear filthy hankies tied across their faces in a madcap attempt to stay safe.

It's the lack of fear that makes for freedom and provides joy. Having left the Camp, I want back. The Camp is normal life to me; outside is weird, miserable, irrational and tyrannical.

Rodney Hide: The protestors have won

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has told protesters at Parliament that they’ve “made their point”, and it’s now “time to go home”.

The Prime Minister is clearly rattled. She doesn’t understand that it is not for her to decide when the protesters go home (other than by her repealing the mandate orders).

She also fails to appreciate that the protesters aren’t outside her window to make a point: they are there to end the mandates.

In that one distinction we see the difference between the protesters and the Prime Minister. Everything the Prime Minister does is to make a point -- and only to make a point. She promises to build 100,000 houses or to plant a billion trees or to end child poverty. The promise serves only to make a point: that she cares. That’s it. It is never her intention actually to build the houses or to plant the trees or to feed the kids.

She clearly doesn’t know how to. She doesn’t know how to swing a hammer or to wield the massive machinery of government to make houses. If she did know, she would have done so.

But for her it doesn’t matter. She shows she cares by making her promise. She makes her point. And that for her is enough.

It’s the same with modern day protests. They make their point. And then go home.

The protesters that I know outside Parliament aren’t like that. They have gone to Wellington to end the mandates. They have a purpose. They have a job to do. And they will stay until it’s done.