This would be quite a good idea for a satirical posting if it wasn’t true. But it is.
New Zealand’s Parliament has voted itself far-reaching powers to control satire and ridicule of MPs in Parliament, attracting a storm of media and academic criticism.
The new standing orders, voted in last month, concern the use of images of Parliamentary debates, and make it a contempt of Parliament for broadcasters or anyone else to use footage of the chamber for “satire, ridicule or denigration”. The rules apply any to broadcasts or rebroadcasts in any medium.
…the old rules were frequently breached, as the media often used wider-angled shots or published photographs of MPs napping, reading comics, eating lollies, and in one notable case, giving another MP the finger.
What a great solution to counter the public’s poor perception of politicians…
redtamarin[at]gmail.com
Loading ...
That’ll be the Labour dominated NZ Parliament then, so only a matter of time before the British Labour party try something similar. Authoritarian denial of free speech is flavour of the month with Labour, and the left in general, after all.
Matt said this on July 30th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
It is already against British law to use Parliamentary coverage in comedy shows in the UK
Liam said this on August 1st, 2007 at 5:34 pm