By Amy Brooke

Underpinning all freedoms is the right to speak one’s mind without fear of punishment, when offering an honest opinion. It is therefore one of the first freedoms that must be restricted by any over-authoritarian government which is determined to exercise more and more control over the population.

It’s obviously not a freedom which Jacinda Ardern believes in. 

Shouldn’t we be drawing our own conclusions about this?

This highly determined, ever-smiling Prime Minister, presiding over the most shockingly anti-democratic government in our history, intends to get her own way. Hence the punitive measures lined up to deal with those speaking out of turn.

Ardern waging war against many New Zealanders

And we should make no mistake — Miss Ardern’s government is basically waging war against conservative, concerned, family-minded people and individuals whose values reflect those of the Christian underpinning of New Zealand — a name now obviously  displeasing to our Prime Minister.

All the government placards behind televised speakers — and in the never-ending statements issued — have now removed our traditional, time-honoured name in favour of Aotearoa.

That this was never the name for New Zealand is apparently totally irrelevant. A minority of professionally aggrieved, implacable, part-Maori extremists — by no means representative of most people of part-Maori descent — are to have their wishes prioritised over the majority of New Zealanders of all ethnic backgrounds — totally supported by our ideologically driven Prime Minister.

But why?

Knee-jerk reaction to the mosque massacres

The invidious and utterly unacceptable hate speech rules which her government apparently intends to inflict upon the country — while unable to provide any firm definition of what they will encompass – are regarded as basically a knee-jerk reaction to the tragically sad attack on a Muslim community in Christchurch.

The media are complicit in constantly referring back to this tragedy, in such a way that some New Zealanders have remarked on feeling that they are somehow targeted as being complicit in this appalling happening – although it was an Australian, not a New Zealander, who committed this crime.

It is also regarded as strange that he has not been returned to Australia, given that Australia is constantly sending back to this country those convicted of crimes – even those with a minimal  connection to this country — such as leaving here, when infants.

Hate speech laws will be divisive

At any rate, the envisaged legislation is certainly grist to the government’s mill, widely recognised as being used to de-legitimise criticism of government policy, not only on the “hate speech” proposals, but also on immigration, Ardern’s promotion of racism, and gun law “reform” — where, predictably, the increasingly aggressive gangs are now the ones well-armed. 

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and her response to a crime that was not even committed by a New Zealander may, understandably, but most unfortunately, provoke resentment.  It is as ill-thought an action as so many others of her more egregiously damaging pieces of legislation.

Jacinda sows divisiveness — under the umbrella of the weasel word, diversity. But of course, in effect what she is promoting, inadvertently or not, are the culture wars which have historically set ethnic and religious groups within society at odds with the majority… with the inevitable, kickback reaction.

Need to reflect on our ancestors

In the view of many, this is the most damaging Prime Minister we have ever had.

Shouldn’t we be reflecting upon our ancestors, both European and Maori, in particular, who fought in the great wars last century to preserve our democratic freedoms, and make the world safer for those of us coming behind?

They loved their country, and we are losing their legacy, because our democracy is well and truly under attack with the undermining of our very basic freedoms.

Who would have foreseen such an onslaught coming — and how many New Zealanders will now stand up to be counted to fight back against what has become a virtual war on an undeniably, and once far more democratic country?

Will you help?

Amy is a Nelson writer and journalist, and author of  “The 100 days: claiming back New Zealand”

(This article first appeared in The Spectator Australia. To subscribe please go to spectator.com.au)