28 January 2000

THE “THUD, THUD” OF THE JACKBOOTS IS GROWING LOUDER …

United New Zealand Party leader, Hon Peter Dunne, describes the Prime Minister’s reaction to private e-mail comments by a Timberlands executive as a “chilling and eerie over-reaction.”

“All citizens, whatever their status or position, have the right to free speech and to hold and expess views contrary to the government of the day.”

“While there may be issues of prudence or judgement involved in this particular case, the individual’s comments were made privately, and must therefore remain outside the prying eyes of the Prime Minister, or anybody else.”

“Once we start, however innocently, down the slippery path of trying to suggest that people’s public responsibilities override their private rights, we are beginning to chart a very dangerous course indeed.”

“Book-burning, and its modern virulent equivalent – extreme political correctness – become the inevitable result.”

“As history shows, it is too late then to stop the mounting thud of the jackboots,” Mr Dunne says.

ENDS

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