Politics Central

British lawmakers are heaping pressure on the government to make sure that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces Swedish justice if prosecutors there reopen a rape investigation against him.
There is mounting concern that Assange should not be allowed to sidestep the Swedish investigation stemming from his 2010 visit to Sweden. The complaints from two women eventually led him to seek refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London rather than return to Sweden for questioning.
Some are calling for the British government to extradite Assange to Sweden, if it makes an official request, rather than to the U.S., which seeks him on conspiracy charges.
More than 70 British lawmakers signed a letter late Friday urging Home Secretary Sajid Javid to "do everything you can to champion action that will ensure Julian Assange can be extradited to Sweden in the event Sweden makes an extradition request."
Most of the lawmakers who signed the letter are from the opposition Labour Party, whose leader, Jeremy Corbyn, wants Britain to refuse to send Assange to the U.S. After Assange's arrest, Corbyn praised him for exposing U.S. atrocities committed in Iraq and Afghanistan when WikiLeaks released tens of thousands of confidential U.S. documents in 2010.
Prominent Conservative Party lawmaker Alistair Burt, a former Foreign Office minister, said Saturday that it's "quite disturbing" to see the sexual allegations minimised.
He said the testimony of the two women makes it "essential" that Assange face justice, to either be cleared in a Swedish court or be convicted.
Assange, 47, has denied the sexual misconduct allegations, which he claims are politically motivated. He claims the sex was consensual.
Sweden suspended its investigation into possible sexual misconduct against Assange two years ago because he was beyond their reach while he was living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London with political asylum status. Prosecutors said the investigation could be revived if his situation changed.
Assange was arrested Thursday after Ecuador withdrew his asylum. He is now in Belmarsh Prison in southeast London, waiting to be sentenced for jumping bail in Britain and facing an extradition request from the United States on charges of conspiring to break into a Pentagon computer.
WikiLeaks says Assange will fight the U.S. extradition request and has been meeting with his legal team to plan his defence.
He has not had a chance to enter a plea in response to the U.S. charge, but he says all of his WikiLeaks actions are those of a legitimate journalist.
If Britain receives competing extradition requests, lawyers say the Home Secretary would have some leeway in deciding which takes priority. Considerations usually include which request came first and which alleged crime is more serious.
British politicians are free to lobby the government for a certain course of action, but it's up to the courts to decide whether the U.S. request for Assange's extradition — and a possible future request from Sweden — should be honoured.
The Home Secretary, a senior Cabinet official, can block extradition under certain circumstances, including cases where a person might face capital punishment or torture in the country seeking their extradition.
Swedish prosecutors opened an investigation into Assange after two women accused him of sexual offences during a 2010 visit to Sweden. Some of the sexual misconduct accusations are no longer viable because their time ran out. But Swedish prosecutors have said a rape case could be reactivated since the statute of limitations for that runs until August 2020.
After Assange's arrest this week, Swedish prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson was tapped to look into a request from a lawyer for one of the accusers, to find out whether the case can be pursued.
Elisabeth Massi Fritz, the lawyer for the woman who reported being raped by Assange, told The Associated Press that she...

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A number of high-profile lawyers have come together in order to highlight their concerns over the End of Life choice bill. 
After 16 months, the Select Committee discussing the End of Life Choice Bill, tabled by David Seymour, released their report. The only consensus it found was that cannot agree on most major recommendations.
Advocacy group Lawyers for Vulnerable New Zealanders unanimously reject the Bill, claiming that the law is poorly written and opens the door for coercion against patients. 
Spokesperson Richard McLeod joined the Weekend Collective to discuss the bill and why the law as written is fundamne

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It is set to be a busy week for New Zealand politicians, as changes to gun legislation are set to become law by April 12.
The Government has rushed through legislation that will ban semi-automatic weapons, amongst other changes, in response to the Christchurch terror attack.
50 people were killed after a single gunman used military-style weapons to attack two mosques in Christchurch last month. 
There has been criticism that the legislation has been rushed through, as the select committee process has been reduced from the standard six month time period. 
Otago Law Professor Andrew Geddis told The Weekend Collective says that this time, the select committee process will be reduced to just one week.
He says that the six month time frame is so laws can be considered carefully.
"The six month period allows for people to actually know an area, as normally parliament legislates in an area where lots of people in the community have expertise they can feed into the process." 
There are concerns that the rushed law change could allow room for mistakes. 
The Herald on Sunday found several examples of firearms or devices designed to get around prohibition on semi-automatic weapons that could be imported by gun enthusiasts. 
Police Minister Stuart Nash says that this initial law change is the first step in what could be future changes. 
"The second phase of changes, which we hope to introduce in June, will address the need to future-proof our gun laws. We need to make it easier for future Parliaments to respond quickly to further technological and social change."
Geddis says that that is possible, as there is a "Henry the Eighth clause" that will allow them the freedom to alter the law. 
"If and when gun manufacturers start playing with the way they make guns to get around whatever definitions are put into this act, the Government can change the definitions of firearms without having to come back to Parliament." 
He says this shows that the Government understands this is an area that will constantly change. However, the clause could raise concerns about the ease with which future Governments can change the law. 
"We want MPs in Parliament to change the law, not Ministers." 
Secretary of the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners Nicole McKee agrees, telling the Weekend Collective that the Government does not need to rush as there is already a moratorium in place on the guns. 
"Why not use this moratorium time to actually get some effective legislation so we can actually go about the Government's intent properly?

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Despite the threat of being in contempt of Parliament, Government Statistician Liz MacPherson says now is not the time to release some information about the 2018 Census.
MacPherson has twice refused to provide Parliament's governance and administration committee with the number of partially and fully completed responses to the 2018 Census.
The National Party's statistics spokesman Jian Yang called it an "extraordinary stand-off" but MacPherson said that without context, the numbers would be open to misinterpretation.
Yang told the Weekend Collective that MacPherson has refused twice to answer the committee's question twice.
"It is important for us to know some basic information about Census 2018, as one of the key responsibilities of the committee is to ensure our government agencies are working properly."
He says that the Census was botched and "is a shambles", and they need to know how bad it was. Yang says the participation rate was the lowest ever, with around 90 per cent of people taking part. "Over 400,000 people were not counted in the Census."
MacPherson has instead intended announcing at the end of April when Statistics New Zealand would release the first set of results for the Census.
"It is my hope that the committee will appreciate that I have made this determination after careful thought and application of statistical best practice," MacPherson said in a statement.
According to Stats NZ's interim calculations, around 10 per cent of New Zealanders didn't fill out their Census forms, resulting in the lowest participation of the past five surveys.
The calculations, released last year, showed that full or partial information for only 90 per cent of individuals was received, compared with 94.5 per cent for the 2013 Census.
The low participation has caused a delay in the release of information collected, which was due to be released in October, then March, now on the date yet to be announced.
Stats NZ will also have to use other sources of information and different imputation approaches to fill in the missing data.
The 2018 Census was the first time Stats NZ used a digital-first approach, which encouraged respondents to complete the census online.
MacPherson had told the committee on February 13 that the number was available and would be provided but then declined to provide it, saying it needed more context.She again declined to provide the number when she appeared before the committee last week.
"The committee has taken the extraordinary step on invoking Standing Orders and requiring an answer," Yang said."Parliament is entitled to know the size of the statistical hole from those who did not participate, as well as those who did not complete Census 2018. The refusal to provide this information is inconsistent with the Government's pledge to be the most open and transparent ever."MacPherson said her announcement at the end of April would outline what would be included in the first release and provide context.
"In light of the select committee's request, I will be providing information on the breakdown of census forms that were full and partial responses.
"Stats NZ is an open and transparent organisation. When we produce information for the public we outline the methodology and limitations of any data produced," she said.The select committee's annual review of Statistics NZ, released last week, said it had sought from MacPherson information about the proportion of Census forms that were fully completed.
"We believe this is important data around the performance of the Census, and that if a large portion were unanswered it would raise concerns about the quality of the Census output, and also about the value for money in the overall expenditure."
The committee had formally required her to respond with an answer under Standing Order 227 (2). That Standing Order requires a witness to answer a question.
National MP Nick Smith...

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Tauranga's Mayor is promising fines will be a last resort as the city cracks down on beggars and rough sleepers.
From tomorrow, beggars will be banned from being within five metres of shops in parts of the Tauranga CBD, Greerton and Mount Maunganui.
Mayor Greg Brownless told the Weekend Collective they won't be immediately dishing out fines.
"We're just gonna first of all try the friendly approach and ask them to move somewhere else so people who are trying to get on with the hard business of earning a living can do so unencumbered." 
He says council staff will do this initially, but police will be brought in if necessary.
Brownless believes it is necessary that they do this to stop people sleeping in doorways or leaving human waste behind. 
"If you're going to sleep, don't do it near someone's doorway when they are trying to do business." 
He says business is tough in the city, and that people have been feeling intimidated by "aggressive beggars". 
Part of the issue is that many of the beggars are part of 'begging gangs' who get dropped off into the CBD, Brownless says.
He notes that there are groups in Tauranga that exist to help homeless people. 
 

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The accused Christchurch attacker has complained about his jail conditions, but an expert says that determining whether he's been deprived isn't so simple. 
The 28-year-old Australian white supremacist has lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Corrections, claiming he is being deprived of basic rights.
A Corrections spokesperson says he's been denied the right to have visitors and has no access to newspapers, radio or TV.
The spokesperson says he's being managed in accordance with the provisions set out in the Corrections Act.
Criminal Bar Association president Len Anderson told The Weekend Collective that while prisoners do have rights, they aren't black or white 
"While prisoners are entitled to visitors, the visitors have to be approved and be suitable people. And similarly, while they are entitled to make phone calls, they have an unlimited right to make calls to legal advisers, but outside of that there is some control over it." 
Anderson says that some restrictions are put in place because of the condition of the prisoner, such as isolation to protect them from themselves. 
However, he stresses that prisoners do have rights and they are enforceable. 
"If it is a justified complaint, there can be some action taken in respect of it."
Anderson does not believe that the complaint suggests anything about the gunman's behaviour and how he will behave during the trial.

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The country's lowest paid workers will tomorrow see a boost to their paycheck from tomorrow. 
The minimum wage will increase up a $1.20 to $17.70 tomorrow.
It will lead to an extra $48 a week for those on the lowest income bracket, which Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says will significantly benefit them. 
He told The Weekend Collective economic growth has not been matched by wage growth.
"Speak to any economist you like, and they will say that wage growth is what has been missing in the recovery since the Global Financial Crisis." 
The Government wants to reach $20 an hour by 2021, which Lees-Galloway says is a significant increase. 
The increase will put pressure on smaller businesses, but the Minister says that they have signalled this early to give them time to prepare. 
"I have absolute confidence in our small businesses. They are resilient, they are agile, and I think they'd be able to adapt to this. I think what they will find is that it leads to improvement to productivity, and profitability overall."  
He denies that the increase is a replacement for failures in the social welfare system. Lees-Galloway says that both the public and private sector have a role in the distribution of income.
"Good wages encourage a more productive economy, and that's something we need to focus on more in New Zealand." 
Wages for those on the lowest tiers have stagnated over the last 20 years, Lees-Galloway says, and something needs to change.

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UK Correspondent Gavin Grey speaks with Tim and Tim following reports of a political coup against Theresa May from her own cabinet.
 
Listen to the audio above.

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Attorney General William Barr scoured special counsel Robert Mueller's confidential report on the Russia investigation with his advisers Saturday, deciding how much Congress and the American public will get to see about the two-year probe into President Donald Trump and Moscow's efforts to elect him.
Barr was on pace to release his first summary of Mueller's findings on Sunday, people familiar with the process said.
The attorney general's decision on what to finally disclose seems almost certain to set off a fight with congressional Democrats, who want access to all of Mueller's findings — and supporting evidence — on whether Trump's 2016 campaign coordinated with Russia to sway the election and whether the president later sought to obstruct the investigation.
No announcement was expected Saturday as Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and oversaw much of his work, analyzed the report and labored to condense it into a summary letter of main conclusions. Mueller delivered his full report to Barr on Friday.
The Russia investigation has shadowed Trump for nearly two years and has ensnared his family and close advisers. And no matter the findings in Mueller's report, the probe already has illuminated Russia's assault on the American political system, painted the Trump campaign as eager to exploit the release of hacked Democratic emails to hurt Democrat Hillary Clinton and exposed lies by Trump aides aimed at covering up their Russia-related contacts.
Barr has said he wants to release as much as he can under the law. That decision will require him to weigh the Justice Department's longstanding protocol of not releasing negative information about people who aren't indicted against the extraordinary public interest in a criminal investigation into the president and his campaign. Democrats are already citing the department's recent precedent of norm-breaking disclosures, including during the Hillary Clinton email investigation, to argue that they're entitled to Mueller's entire report and the underlying evidence he collected.
Even with the details still under wraps, Friday's end to the 22-month probe without additional indictments by Mueller was welcome news to some in Trump's orbit who had feared a final round of charges could target more Trump associates or members of the president's family.
The White House sought to keep its distance, saying Saturday it had not been briefed on the report. Trump, who has relentlessly criticized Mueller's investigation as a "witch hunt," went golfing and was uncharacteristically quiet on Twitter. Not so one of his guests, musician Kid Rock, who posted a picture with the president and the tweet, "Another great day on the links! Thank you to POTUS for having me and to EVERYONE at Trump International for being so wonderful. What a great man, so down to earth and so fun to be with!!"
In a possible foreshadowing of expected clashes between the Justice Department and Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to members that Barr's offer to provide a summary of principal conclusions was "insufficient." Pelosi later told Democrats on a conference call that she would reject any kind of classified briefing on the report and that the information must be provided to Congress in a way that would allow lawmakers to discuss it publicly.
The conclusion of Mueller's investigation does not remove legal peril for the president. He faces a separate Justice Department investigation in New York into hush money payments during the campaign to two women who say they had sex with him years before the election. He's also been implicated in a potential campaign finance violation by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who says Trump asked him to arrange the transactions. Federal prosecutors, also in New York, have been investigating foreign contributions made to the president's inaugural committee.
As for Mueller, with no details...

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Was it a vigil, a political rally - or both?
Speeches calling out racism, colonialism and white supremacy at an Auckland vigil for victims of the Christchurch mosque attacks had some attendees leaving early, saying it was "too soon" for such discussions.
But organisers and speakers have defended what some called a "political" tone of the Jummah Remembrance vigil held at Auckland Domain on Friday, saying they were "hard truths" Aotearoa needed to address.
Thousands attended the vigil, where official speakers strongly challenged the rallying cry that last week's atrocity that killed 50 Muslim worshippers and injured dozens more was "not us".
Muslim and tāngata whenua speakers covered experiences of everyday racism and violence they face, and spoke to New Zealand's white settler history and colonial violence.
Sharon Hawke, of Ngāti Whātua Orakei, said hatred existed in New Zealand.
"White hatred is its foundation."
She spoke of atrocities committed against Māori throughout New Zealand's history, including at Parihaka, and even Okahu Bay in Auckland in the 1950s, where the Auckland Council burned down her hapū's village.
Israa Falah of the Auckland Muslim community said the Christchurch massacre was the result of the normalisation of xenophobia.
People should call out racism when they saw it, she said.
Zainab Mussa attended the vigil with her two young children but they left early partly because of the "uncomfortable tone".
"Even being non Pākehā, I did feel uncomfortable at times with the continued mentions of white extremism and white terrorism."
While she said she understood the need for a conversation about racism and white supremacy, she felt a week after the attacks was too soon.
"I think there was too much mention of 'white' and colonial times. To me that wasn't a remembrance of the victims and not the way to push for unity."
Another attendee said they left early because they wanted the vigil to be more focused on the victims.
"No one disagrees the conversations need to be had, just not last night.
"That vigil was important to Aucklanders. It was important to me, to collectively show respect and love to the victims and the Muslim community, to weep quietly at the insanity and savagery of it, to be human and together in that response."
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who also spoke at the vigil, said rather than it being "too soon" it was actually "too late" to be having these conversations.
"People are already dead, it is too late.
"A lot of people wanted to separate what happened in Christchurch from politics, but if we have any hope of truly honouring those who passed we need to listen to our Muslim, Māori, Pacific and migrant communities, all saying this is not just about a violent shooter, but about everyday racism."
She said she was "optimistic" though, as even though some people left early, most said it was more about timing.
"I know that it felt like such hard truths for many. I know this is uncomfortable. I am optimistic because I hear most of you who left in protest, saying it was more about timing.
"These were the voices from the front line of everything we need to heal."
This view also appeared to resonate with many Pākehā who attended the vigil.
Activist Ricardo Mendendez-March says he understands why people may have been uncomfortable, but he told The Weekend Collective that he felt the tone was respectful. 
"The people who have been meeting the political call are from the Muslim community, who for too many years have been warning the government that they've been under attack, that they feel the police haven't taken their concerns seriously." 
He says that politics have to change to prevent another attack from happening.
Mendendez-March says he does not believe that the disgruntled voices reflected a majority of voices. 
He is attending a rally today that has...

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