Former Greens dislike terrorism Bill support

WELLINGTON: Former Green MPs are unhappy that the party has dropped the tradition of opposing terrorism suppression laws.

It’s the latest in a string of topics that have illustrated the growing divide among the old guard and the new wave of Greens.

And now former MPs are at odds over the Terrorism Suppression Bill.

Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty said even with the changes, it was still disappointing.

‘‘Overall these kind of Bills, which the Greens have had a tradition of opposing, are not going to make the world safer, they’re not the direction we need to go in,’’ she said.

‘‘They’re actually very narrowly focused, potentially reducting human rights for certain people.’’

Ms Delahunty said there were other ways to make the country safer from terrorism.

‘‘It would be much more sensible to get out of the Five Eyes network, to make ourselves less of a target for people like Isis, and actually stop being part of some of the terror that countries like the United States actually visit around the world,’’ she said.

She said she knew the Greens would have been under pressure from Labour, but trying to suppress terrorism did not work.

Former Green MP Sue Bradford was also against the party showing its support for the Bill.

‘‘There are such risks in this legislation, and in the past the party would have really been leading the charge against it,’’ she said.

Ms Bradford said the party had clearly been forced into a compromise.

‘‘I really fear for their ability to negotiate inside this government, New Zealand First seems to be much more able to hold lines and hold its position, whereas the Greens seem to bend far more and really sacrifice a lot of those original principles,’’ she said.

MP and Green Party defence spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman said the party was still working on further improvements in the Bill and the decision was led by party reps and the full caucus.

Ms Ghahraman said having no Bill was never an option, so it was either an improved Bill, or one with National’s provisions. — RNZ