Hutt City Council Affirms Commitment To Free Speech, Free Speech Union Settles Court Case
'It is not the role of local councils to decide what ratepayers do and don't read. We took Hutt City Council and its Chief Executive, Jo Miller, to court when they refused to resolve the matter with us. Local ratepayers deserve better.
'The Hutt City Council removed a paid advertisement insert by the New Zealand Centre for Political Research (NZCPR) from newspapers from all council sites. The insert was from 'Treaty of Waitangi – An Explanation' by Sir Āpirana Ngata and was published in 31 NZME and Stuff newspapers.
'However, we now welcome Hutt City Council's agreement to settle with us and their commitment to free speech and the right to impart and receive information and opinions as a critical part of our society. They've also acknowledged that if similar situations arise in the future, the Council would be likely to adopt a different approach. They've confirmed that the role of the local library is not to act as a gatekeeper of information, and that ratepayers should be free to access information.
'Local councils around the country should take note. They can't pick and choose when Kiwis' speech rights apply. Ratepayers not only deserve, but also have a right, to decide whether to engage with content or not. Local councils must respect this.'
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