National's David Bennett made comments expected from Russia's Joseph Stalin, says veteran protester Doug Robertson (Public Domain).

Govt compared to Stalinist Russia as it considers revision of Marine Crimes Act

Author: Alicia Burrow,
Publish Date: Tue, 13 Sept 2016, 6:31am

The National Government's being compared to Stalinist Russia and Syrian political leaders as it considers amendments to the Marine Crimes Act.

Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Affairs select committee is currently considering amendments to the act which covers crime on New Zealand waters.

National's David Bennett has told the select committee during oral submissions on Thursday that anyone who gets in the way of a foreign warship is a terrorist.

The New Zealand Law Society has announced concerns that the changes could classify legitimate protests and industrial action as terrorism.

A member of the original Peace Squadron which led the anti-nuclear protests of the 80s, Doug Robertson, says he'd expect commentary like Mr Bennett's from the likes of Joseph Stalin, but not a New Zealand MP.

Mr Robertson says if the proposed amendments were in place today he'd be in jail which goes against the basic principal of a democracy - people should be able to protest their disagreements with the government.

He's outraged the National Government would consider him to be a terrorist and says it's a slap in the face to history.

"It's something a lot of New Zealanders are proud of, it's something we fought for and now it's sort of being undermined and it's almost like all that stuff we did, you know, suddenly we're terrorists for doing that now".

Mr Robertson added the timing is suspicious - for the first time since the anti-nuclear legislation was passed in 1987, a United States military ship will once again enter New Zealand waters this November and he fears the legislation is being amended now to prevent any protests the government doesn't approve of.

He says the present government has flickers of a police state, or Totalitarianism regime where it's illegal for people to protest or hold industrial action.