The State of Freedom of Expression in New Zealand: An Admittedly Eclectic Overview

Abstract

This article is a survey of freedom of expression issues in New Zealand. The author begins by briefly recapping the developments in the common law of defamation and privacy following the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (NZBORA), before considering the role NZBORA has played in the realm of censorship. The article concludes with a look at four recent developments in the core expressive context of political speech: the abolition of sedition offences; expanding the scope for protest activity; restraining third party election expenses; and regulating the broadcast coverage of Parliament.