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Crimes (Offence of Blasphemous Libel) Amendment Bill (Consistent) [2018] NZBORARp 17 (14 February 2018)

Last Updated: 3 January 2019

14 February 2018

Hon David Parker, Attorney-General

LEGAL ADVICE

LPA 01 01 21

Consistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990: Crimes (Offence of Blasphemous Libel) Amendment Bill

1. We have considered whether the Crimes (Offence of Blasphemous Libel) Amendment Bill (‘the Bill’), a member’s Bill in the name of Angie Warren-Clark MP, is consistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (‘the Bill of Rights Act’).
2. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to repeal s 123, removing the offence of blasphemous libel from the New Zealand statute book.
3. We have concluded that the Bill appears to be consistent with the rights and freedoms affirmed in the Bill of Rights Act.
   

Jeff Orr

Chief Legal Counsel Office of Legal Counsel