DP Photo Challenge: security

/ Su Leslie
Protesters in Auckland's Queen Street, marching against TPPA, 2014. Image: Su Leslie

Thousands protesting against TPPA, Auckland, 2014. Image: Su Leslie, 2014

While New Zealand does not have an unblemished history in terms of the State’s reaction to peaceful protest, I do still feel secure in my right to challenge those who govern in my name.

Young and old, Maori and Pakeha; united in exercising the right to peaceful protest. Anti-TPPA marchers, Auckland, 2014. Image: Su Leslie.

Young and old, Maori and Pakeha; united in exercising the right to peaceful protest. Anti-TPPA marchers, Auckland, 2014. Image: Su Leslie.

At a time when human rights are increasingly threatened, we must all raise our collective voice in their defense.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. — Pastor Martin Niemöller

Daily Post Photo Challenge | Security

18 thoughts on “DP Photo Challenge: security”

  1. Exactly…. Does NZ have a provision similar to our First Amendment, guaranteeing free speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion? Not that our government hasn’t tread at times on all three, but it’s good to know we have it there to protect our rights.

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    • We have a Bill of Rights, which along with several others laws forms a sort-of constitution. However, most could theoretically be changed by Parliament and I believe some of our laws are inconsistent with the Bill of Rights.

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      • Interesting that Parliament can change the Constitution; here it takes both the action of 3/4 of the states plus Congress to amend the Constitution. It has only happened 17 times since the original Bill of Rights (ten of those).

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        • It’s a definite weakness in our British-based system. Your country definitely got it right at the start with a clean break from Britain. We have carried on having a fairly co-dependent relationship, so for us even having a Bill of Rights is new, flawed as it is.

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          • Yes; we do have our own Parliament and legal system. Technically we were a British colony until 1907, but with a parliament (vested with varying amounts of power) since 1853. A lot of our institutions are still based on the British model, and until 2004, our legal system still had as its highest court of appeal the British Privy Council. One major difference in NZ is that we have a proportional representation system of electing Parliament, rather than the “first past the post” system. That’s fairly recent (1990s) and means that smaller parties, like the Greens and the Maori Party have some influence on the direction of government. We still elect local authority (city/county) politicians on the old system though for some reason.

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          • I have never been a fan of the proportional system since it seems to lead to so many splinter groups, but after this year’s election here, I am ready to throw out our whole electoral system!

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