A manifesto reportedly written by the alleged Christchurch gunman has been officially classified as objectionable by the Office of Film & Literature Classification, with those who have copies told to destroy them.

Chief Censor David Shanks classed the document as objectionable material in part because it contains locations and means for further attacks in New Zealand

However, the Free Speech Coalition is arguing that the manifesto should not have been banned, with spokesman Stephen Franks telling Newstalk ZB that they should not have dignified it and given it this level of attention.

However, speaking on the Sunday Panel, commentators  Liam Hehir and Morgan Godfrey supported the moves.

Hehir told Francesca Rudkin that he is normally in favour of freedom of speech, but says that it would be a mistake to treat this as a freedom of speech issue. 

"I think where people have got concerns about this, they've probably got the right initial reaction, but this is the type of thing that should be banned."

Godfrey says that the harm of the document outweighs any other consideration.

"It might be the correct thing to do to review the decision in a couple of years, but at this point of time, it is absolutely the right thing to do." 

The two panellists also agreed that it was likely too early to be discussing whether Jacinda Ardern deserved a Nobel Peace Prize, as has been suggested by some foreign campaigners.