Peters says he has been trespassed from Parliament for two years
Former Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says he has been trespassed from Parliament for two years.
Peters had faced criticism when he visited anti-mandate protesters in February as they held a protest camp inside Parliamentary grounds. Those protests turned violent when police moved to clear the camp in early March.
He is among several high-profile people who have now being issued with trespass notices for attending the occupation.
In a statement, Peters said New Zealanders, the Prime Minister and Parliament shouldn't put up with "totalitarian behaviour" from the Speaker Trevor Mallard.
He said he had taken legal advice on the matter and would continue to do so.
Peters said it was a dictatorial move by Mallard, which "should be reserved for Third World banana republics".
He said Mallard had gaping holes in his reasoning, that there were differences between the protesters "who were legally, peacefully and rightfully there" and those who were ended up being violent.
There were also differences between those taking an active part in the protest and those who were not, he said.
He told Midday Report the move was unreasonable and unlawful, "and I'm very confident about where this is going to go now".
He would not contact the Speaker directly, but he had received preliminary legal advice from his lawyers and full advice would be discussed "in the fullness of time very very soon".
"[Mallard] didn't bother to contact me before he made a pre-emptory presumption about the purpose of my visit ... I don't know where he got his legal advice from but I hope it's not from his own office.
"The people of this country have to make up their minds whether they're going to abide by this sort of behaviour or they're going to make a stand - because we live in a first-world democracy, or rather we thought we did until these sorts of patterns, of late, have become the norm."
His statement also raised the possibility of media reporting on the protest being trespassed, and questioned whether that would be blanket prosecution or reserved for those who shared the government's views.
"What's more astounding is that the Speaker of the House of Representatives in our country could possibly attempt to trespass former Members of Parliament - of whom some are leaders of political parties planning to run against the sitting government in around eighteen months' time," the statement said.
"New Zealanders should not put up with this type of totalitarian behaviour from the Speaker - nor should the Prime Minister or Parliament."
More to follow...
Former Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says he has been trespassed from Parliament for two years.
Peters had faced criticism when he visited anti-mandate protesters in February as they held a protest camp inside Parliamentary grounds. Those protests turned violent...
Former Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters says he has been trespassed from Parliament for two years.
Peters had faced criticism when he visited anti-mandate protesters in February as they held a protest camp inside Parliamentary grounds. Those protests turned violent when police moved to clear the camp in early March.
He is among several high-profile people who have now being issued with trespass notices for attending the occupation.
In a statement, Peters said New Zealanders, the Prime Minister and Parliament shouldn't put up with "totalitarian behaviour" from the Speaker Trevor Mallard.
He said he had taken legal advice on the matter and would continue to do so.
Peters said it was a dictatorial move by Mallard, which "should be reserved for Third World banana republics".
He said Mallard had gaping holes in his reasoning, that there were differences between the protesters "who were legally, peacefully and rightfully there" and those who were ended up being violent.
There were also differences between those taking an active part in the protest and those who were not, he said.
He told Midday Report the move was unreasonable and unlawful, "and I'm very confident about where this is going to go now".
He would not contact the Speaker directly, but he had received preliminary legal advice from his lawyers and full advice would be discussed "in the fullness of time very very soon".
"[Mallard] didn't bother to contact me before he made a pre-emptory presumption about the purpose of my visit ... I don't know where he got his legal advice from but I hope it's not from his own office.
"The people of this country have to make up their minds whether they're going to abide by this sort of behaviour or they're going to make a stand - because we live in a first-world democracy, or rather we thought we did until these sorts of patterns, of late, have become the norm."
His statement also raised the possibility of media reporting on the protest being trespassed, and questioned whether that would be blanket prosecution or reserved for those who shared the government's views.
"What's more astounding is that the Speaker of the House of Representatives in our country could possibly attempt to trespass former Members of Parliament - of whom some are leaders of political parties planning to run against the sitting government in around eighteen months' time," the statement said.
"New Zealanders should not put up with this type of totalitarian behaviour from the Speaker - nor should the Prime Minister or Parliament."
More to follow...
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