Hipkins ditches hate speech laws

Despite the PM ditching the proposed hate speech law, both the Human Rights Commissioner and the Race Relations Commissioner persisted in mischaracterising the basis for the reform.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

Amongst the plethora of policy items unceremoniously dumped by Prime Minister Hipkins yesterday, was the proposed hate speech law. Although this particular legislative proposal was short-lived, the wider debate about hate speech had been on-going in the country for several years.

Out of all the policies abandoned yes…