Greens vote under urgency for warrantless search powers for Police

Stuff reports:

A controversial new coronavirus law has been hastily passed, despite coming under fire for allowing police to search homes without a warrant.

Despite widespread concern, the Government rushed though the powerful legislation for Alert Level 2, but legal experts say the new enforcement law is better for the public than the extreme emergency powers used under lockdown.

There are now calls for the Government to take the unusual step of returning the law to parliament, so it can again be scrutinised while it’s being used.

The law, which passed 63 – 57, had to be hurried through the House as it was required for the enforcement of Alert Level 2 restrictions such as social distancing – set to begin at 11.59pm on Wednesday.

Eight weeks ago the opposition offered to work with the Government to pass a special law for responding to Covid-19. The Government refused. Then suddenly on Tuesday they table a bill and ram it through all stages in just over 24 hours.

And the Greens sat there voting for it at every stage.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt said he had “deep concern” about the lack of scrutiny and rushed process for the Bill. 

“For weeks the Government has known that we would be moving to alert level 2. It has not allowed enough time for careful public democratic consideration of this level 2 legislation. There has been no input from ordinary New Zealanders which is deeply regrettable,” Hunt said.

“This is a great failure of our democratic process. The new legislation, if passed in its current state, will result in sweeping police powers unseen in this country for many years.” 

If National had done what Labour and the Greens have just done, the Greens would be flying to Geneva to complain to the United Nations.