Cyber-bullying Bill Debate Possible Again

Once again the controversial cyber-bullying bill has been placed up the Order Paper for debate today.

After Question Time today, MPs are scheduled to debate the third reading of the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) divided into 34 separate bills.

This will be followed by the second readings of the Taxation (KiwiSaver HomeStart and Remedial Matters) Bill and the second reading of the Harmful Digital Communications Bill.

Debate on the latter bill was scheduled to take place last Tuesday but was superseded by the House going into Urgency to deal with issues around MPs pay rises. Then on Thursday an Urgent Debate on police conduct and slow progress on other bills, meant the cyber-bullying bill was stalled again.

The bill’s purpose is to mitigate harm caused to individuals by digital communications (a digital communication includes any text message, writing, photograph, picture, or recording) and to provide victims of harmful digital communications with a means of redress.

This bill is largely based on the Law Commission’s 2012 Ministerial Briefing paper Harmful Digital Communications: The adequacy of the current sanctions and remedies.

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