Be safe, be seen

Crikey, I love daylight saving but the timing of it is a bit rough. A super win by both the All Blacks and the Warriors has put the country on a high, but the results of the celebration can be a little difficult to wear when you’re an hour short on sleep!

Thought I’d give my view on something that seems to develop opinions a mile apart. The Government is seeking to rush through emergency legislation to give the Police vastly increased (or should I say legalize what they have done in the past) powers to record going-ons and use these recordings to prosecute. Cue Social Liberty groups hitting the headlines talking about heavy handed, power abusing Police who go to the Government with a wish list any time they need increased powers, expecting the Government to do it. Deborah Coddington (a writer I highly admire) says we need to “be guarded from the enormous powers of the state”.

What a load of bollocks. If someone commits a crime, all evidence available should be brought in to the light of day so that (as much as possible) people aren’t wrongly convicted. I would have thought people would have welcomed this? And if they have committed a crime, and been caught doing it through surveillance, what’s the problem? Slippery slope to a Police State? Our political system and media provide a safety valve for this, surely. After all, the Government that is attempting to create the legislation is the party that most NZ’ers voted for.

Given the proliferation of video recording devices and electronic social media, aren’t we all on show anyway?

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