The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand supports several aspects of the recent proposed changes to New Zealand’s hate
speech legislation. In particular, we welcome the expansion of the protected categories, the shifting of section 131 of
the Human Rights Act to the Crimes Act, and the addition of incitement of hatred in the Crimes Act to include groups as
well as individuals.
IWCNZ supports free expression and the right to criticise. Our advocacy and forthright direct approaches are well known,
and we would not want our or anyone else’s ability to dialogue on important issues impeded.
As regular recipients of hate as individuals and as a group, IWCNZ can confirm the harmful impacts of targeted hate that
crosses that line. Examples of such dangerous content were shared at the recent counter-terrorism conference in
Christchurch in our session on “What Hate Feels Like Now” and in the session on Violent Extremism Online (that
particular session can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fuye6m1Hpk, starting at minute 52)
It is unfortunate that some politicians left the conference early and did not see the New Zealand-based evidence that
was presented. We are happy to engage with all political parties in our parliament on these issues of public safety.
It is IWCNZ’s position that we do not want what happened to our community to happen ever again to any community within
or outside our borders.