By we I mean the Royal We because the NZ Free Speech Union were involved and I was almost certainly not the only submitter on the Police Hate Speech Task Force!!.

This is what we achieved.

The Minister of Police, Mark Mitchell, has `raised his concerns with the Police Commissioner and received assurance that the material within the training will be reviewed and amended, to ensure that it is appropriately framed according to the law and Police’s responsibilities.’ 

Here is my submission by email:

I was appalled and very concerned to learn that NZPolice now has a unit specifically tasked to investigate cases of Hate Speech. If my memory is correct there are 23 staff assigned to this unit.

I ask why?

Because there is no law covering Hate Speech and there should never be any such law because we must support freedom of speech no matter how much we disagree at times with what has been said.

I say to the three of you these 23 police would be better placed on the streets of New Zealand protecting us all from the thugs, robbers etc that seem to proliferate the streets of the country at present.

Yours respectfully

Here is the reply I received by email late yesterday.

On behalf of the Minister of Police, I acknowledge your email of 6 August 2024, concerning Police’s hate-motivated crime training.  

Thank you for taking the time to highlight your concerns with us, please do be assured that what you have raised is noted.

The Minister has taken the feedback he has received from members of the public and the Free Speech Union into account and has raised his concerns with the Police Commissioner. He has since received assurance that the material within the training will be reviewed and amended, to ensure that it is appropriately framed according to the law and Police’s responsibilities. 

Kind regards,

GeorginaPolice – Correspondence Administrator | Office of Hon Mark MitchellMinister of Corrections | Minister for Emergency Management and RecoveryMinister of Police | MP for Whangaparaoa
 Website: www.Beehive.govt.nzPrivate Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand