Young Labour’s desire to crush free speech should concern us all
Groan…
New Zealand Young Labour condemns the Associate Minister of Immigration, Chris Penk’s decision to overturn Immigration New Zealand’s denial of entry to far-right commentator Candace Owens. Immigration New Zealand’s original decision, based on section 15(1)(f) of the Immigration Act following Owens’ denial of entry to Australia, was a lawful and necessary measure to safeguard Aotearoa’s values of inclusivity and manaakitanga. By reversing officials’ decision, the Minister has chosen to use his Ministerial privileges to open our borders up to a platform of hate and division.
“Aotearoa is a nation built on manaakitanga, kindness, and acceptance,” said Young Labour President, Ethan Reille. “This decision is deeply concerning and risks undermining the integrity of our Immigration Laws. It also sets a dangerous precedent and a troubling message to our communities, particularly those who are most vulnerable to the hateful rhetoric Candace Owens represents. The Minister must answer why he feels justified in overriding a clear and lawful decision to protect our people.”
Owens’ rhetoric, known for its divisive and inflammatory nature, directly contradicts Aotearoa’s foundational values. Her influence, including being cited in the manifesto of the March 15 terrorist, underscores the danger of allowing such individuals access to New Zealand. Young Labour draws comparisons to previous far-right figures like Lauren Southern and Posie Parker, whose visits brought heightened tensions and normalized hateful narratives.
While the Minister’s decision to overturn this denial is a disappointing step backward, Young Labour believes it highlights an urgent need for stronger, more consistent measures to prevent figures promoting hate and division from entering New Zealand. This decision risks normalizing hate speech and contradicting our principles of inclusivity and manaakitanga.
“This is not just about one individual,” Reille added. “It’s about the kind of nation we want to be. Will we allow international figures to import division and hatred, or will we stand firm in our commitment to protecting the safety and harmony of our multicultural society? This moment calls for clear leadership and a renewed commitment to our shared values.”
Young Labour calls on the Minister to reverse his decision and trust the judgment of Immigration New Zealand officials and our laws. Furthermore, the Government must adopt stronger policies to safeguard Aotearoa’s communities and values against harmful, divisive rhetoric.
“We have a duty to lead by example,” Reille concluded. “The Minister’s actions must reflect the values of our nation, and this is an opportunity to show the world that we stand against hate and division. New Zealand deserves
…ok. Ok. Ok.
3 things.
1: Let’s be clear, when Young Labour argue that Posie Parker generated the violence, it was actually the woke who caused all the violence on the day.
2: We on the Left should be championing Free Speech instead of constantly trying to strangle it off.
3: Candace of course should be allowed to speak in NZ and NZers who find her vile hate grift offensive should be free to protest her, and we should also know she is stained by association to a Russian disinformation and misinformation network.
We on the Left have become so accustomed to using cancel culture social media Lynch mobs to shut down debate we don’t like rather than having the confidence to out argue and out articulate that all we know to do now is attack Free Speech rather than use it.
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Oh dear. Young Labour are a little naive if they think the New Zealand populace will be significantly affected by speakers who they consider abhorrent. I recall that Mandy Rice-Davies, Profumo Affair protagonist, was also denied entry to New Zealand because it was thought she could have a detrimental effect on the morals of New Zealand girls.
Sundays at Speakers’ Cnr in Hyde Park, people say quite outrageous things without any great impact. Interestingly though, I think something untoward occurred there also when Posie Parker orated and the police held back just like they did at Albert Park in Auckland.
Every now and then a charismatic speaker like Adolf Hitler can have a catastrophic societal effect, but this lady isn’t one of them, and our laws can deal with serious “ hate speech” offenders.
“. . . all we know to do now is attack Free Speech rather than use it.“
Yes. And people have noticed.
If Owens came to NZ, gave her speech in front of a paying audience, and left, how many people would really notice or care?
Immigration NZ, and those opposed to Owens, build up an hysterical hype around her that grants her more attention than she deserves. They end up promoting what they want to hide, while Owens is no doubt loving the free advertising.
Thats is there oxygen..the real danger is inour adopting that American style grift.
Tess. But the wrong sort of pronouns might listen to her and run amok, or behave like vandals, or burn books like the National Library does, or tip messy stuff over statues, while the dopey msm salivates in voyeuristic anticipation of getting some breathtaking copy.
You’re on the side of the angels on this issue Martyn.
To be fair to Owens, Tarrant’s insane ramble also references Mao and strangely a cartoon dragon. LOL
Ethan Reille sounds like one of the creeps who supported Keir Starmer in sabotaging Jeremy Corbyn in the UK Labour Party. Scratch a rat like that, you’ll find a zionist. The only reason Reille dislikes Owens is her critique of the zionist genocide of the human population of Palestine.
I wasnt aware of this woman until all the teeth gnashing and pearl clutching became apparent , so I thought I would check her out . I found her quite sensible while the interview with the U.S.S Liberty survivor was quite poignant which makes me think you may be onto something MK.
Fred Evans. Right. I’ve viewed Candace Owens by chance, several times, and she’s very articulate and direct, which is quite refreshing, even when she might be wrong. We have few such local products.
Young Labour want the right to express themselves freely, and rightly so, but they must also accord that right to others.
I’m tempted to say that they should be ashamed of themselves for wanting anybody muzzled in New Zealand, but they’re young, and part of being young is to gloriously blunder from time to time, but any government acting in accord with their righteousness judgmentalism, would be nuts. If the young ones disagree with Owens, then they should welcome the opportunity to engage with her.
You’re in for a treat. She thinks that Macron’s wife is a man!
Oh, I certainly don’t endorse all her views. Her blaming of all malicious zionist activities on Sabbateans, a precursor cult to the modern day Chabbad cult, but which no longer exists, is rather silly. She’s also promoted some regular Ammurrican ‘right wing’ conspiracy theory silliness.
However, people with similar public presence promoting far more noxious nonsense than she does are not attacked in the way she is. She’s solely been targeted by the enemy and their puppets- which we can see includes creeps like Reille- for supporting human rights, not for any actual disinformation that she may have engaged in.
The problem is educating people to think critically when exposed to media grift…that a deep rounded education we currently dont really give to the majority
Owens’ freedom of speech was never denied. She was denied entry into New Zealand. Convoluting the two is where everyone is going wrong. If anyone wishes to know what Owens has been saying, her freedom of speech is always available.
We should all be louder than her and shout down her hate speech.
David Why not listen to what she has to say and reply to it ? People were bussed in from as far afield as Hamilton to shout down Posie Parker and to stop women from having voices and that was an unequivocal assault upon freedom of speech.
Candace Owens speech is still free whether she comes to nz or not. She’s free to spout her hateful bile elsewhere like on social media platforms.
Calling supporting denying her entry into nz ‘crushing free speech’ is absurd free speech absolutism worthy of American or Americanized bloggers.
Exactly, I also love the irony of people who call for mass deportation of migrants whining about people in other countries not wanting to let them in
Candace Owen’s sides with Palestine and looks to me to be black You would expect her to be welcomed by Liebor and Gweens
There’s a certain Chat GPT whiff to the statement. All the mention of troubling, deeply concerning, normalised hateful narratives (with a ‘z’ not an ‘s’), lots of manaakiatanga and moral superiority – it’s like a perfumed fart .
We get to hear Young Labour speaking out about the Honourable Candace Farmer’s conservative views and creating a streisand effect. It would be better to hear some loud views from Young Labour on Homelessness, Unemployment, Jobs For All, income disparity, a Fair Go on home ownership and an egalitarian Aotearoa. And what they intend to do about those issues.
Reille’s priority, instead, is defending the genocide of the Palestinian people. Disturbing
Joseph. Correct. But it looks as if homelessness, unemployment, high food prices, astronomical electricity prices etc don’t impact upon Young Labour. If they had to heat their own houses, hold down a couple of jobs, and grow their own vegetables, they could put their voices to good use.
Owens’ entry to New Zealand is one thing. Finding an acceptable venue which won’t be threatened by an apoplectic flapping and squawking mob is another thing entirely.
You mean like the holocaust mob? I thought you were a card carrying member
“Assumptions are made and most assumptions are wrong.” Albert Einstein