Initial Reports on Auckland March

Well a couple of lefties were sneering yesterday that they expected 75 people to turn up to the Auckland March. Newstalk ZB reports:

Queen Street in Auckland has been brought to a standstill today, with a crowd estimated at more than two thousand marching against the Electoral Finance Bill.

Helen Clark is being told her proposals are fascist and unwanted. Protest organiser John Boscawen wants the Prime Minister to kill the Bill, which will put a caps on spending by lobby groups during an election year.

Members of the Law Society, political parties and the Sensible Sentencing Trust are angry Labour’s trying to push through the legislation without consultation.

Members of the migrant community on the march say they came to New Zealand to escape dictatorship, and some have likened Miss Clark to Adolf Hitler.

While the comparison to Hitler is of course wrong, the underlying point is that the Electoral Finance Bill has clauses in it which you would expect from tinpot third world dictatorships. In fact even Nicky Hager said it was like something you would expect from the Nazi Party (even though he supports the intent).

Radio NZ also has an interesting report:

At least 1000 people marched through central Auckland on Saturday, loudly protesting a controversial law change proposal.

The Electoral Finance Bill aims to extend the electioneering period to a year and limits the monetary support third parities can offer.

A Radio New Zealand reporter at the march says many who took part were waving placards and had duct tape across their mouths.

The protesters believe the proposed legislation is a direct threat to democracy, a breach of human rights and will limit their rights to free speech.

Many of the protesters came from outside Auckland and have been staunch Labour Party supporters in the past. They say the law would be a “facist” one if passed.

Organisers say more marches will be held in Wellington and Christchurch if the bill, which could be bought up in Parliament as early as next week, is not scrapped.

The bill has been criticised by the Human Rights Commission and the Law Society.

Well done to all those who gave up part of their weekend to protest.