 | NORML News: Big Brother Government gets worse |
 A round-up of 3 dodgy new laws being introduced by the Labour government.
NORML News Summer 2003-4
Govt extents police snooping powers ...
New legislation is being introduced giving police and secret services wide ranging powers for intercepting email from public places, including hotels rooms and internet cafes. Council for Civil Liberties spokesman Micheal Bott says the bill gives the state an "unprecedented right to snoop... New Zealanders should be very concerned. The government tells us it's only the criminals who have something to fear, but if that were really the case there would be no problem with having camera's in everybody's bedroom."
... wants to piss-test drivers ...
Transport Minister Paul Swain is expected to make it an offence to drive "while impaired by a drug". The Land Transport Act already says it is an offence to drive under the influence of a drug to the extent of "being incapable of having proper control". The new rule would allow police to judge whether a driver was impaired by such measures as walking in a straight line, and if they seemed impaired, to use a non-evidential roadside test using a swab, and then if needed a saliva or blood test that could be admitted in court. Police are unsure if a controversial saliva test being trailed in Victoria can be used here. The swab is potentially unreliable, and only reveals recent exposure to drugs rather than impairment. Norml is also concerned any new powers could be used for "fishing expeditions" where police swab all drivers passing through a roadblock and then use any positive results to initiate Misuse of Drugs Act searches.
... and will videotape smokers in bars
Labour and the Greens have passed the Smokefree Environments Act amendment that bans smoking inside bars, clubs and cafes from December 2004. The new law prevents Dutch-style coffeeshops before they have even had a chance to happen. Good on Peter Dunne for opposing this restriction on personal freedom, but we wish he could see the same principles apply to cannabis!
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