Posts by Graeme Edgeler

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  • Hard News: A Strange Surprise,

    But why? Is the LTSA actually trying to give the impression that the new law will be used by police officers in an arbitrary and capricious fashion?

    And illegal...

    Section 71A of the Land Transport Act makes clear that:

    An enforcement officer may require [a driver] to undergo a compulsory impairment test given by an enforcement officer trained to give the test if the enforcement officer has good cause to suspect that the person has consumed a drug or drugs...

    Absent "good cause to suspect", they're breaking the law.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: A bigger breach?,

    Check this out and play spot the difference.

    Those are awesome. Whoever came up with them deserves my money :-)

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: So-called celebrity justice,

    Imagine the excitement of not knowing whether you'll be ignored, fined or jailed.

    I can rid you of some of the excitement - the maximum penalty for breach of a suppression order is a fine of $1000. You can't be jailed.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: Apple-pie Embedding,

    I am startled by how many people ... have been passing that Muppet video around.

    I found it through TV Tattle who'd linked to it on Boingboing. Popular site, I'm told :-)

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: Apple-pie Embedding,

    Friday already? The week has gone fast :-)

    Then here's the Muppets' cover of Bohemian Rhapsody:

    Glorious in HD, I'm told (click through for the option).

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: So-called celebrity justice,

    let's bring back duelling!

    Steven Price had an interesting piece on that...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Going West - Maurice Gee,

    From the New Zealand Book Council. Fantastic animation.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: So-called celebrity justice,

    IMO John Key breached the suppression order as he announced that he came to know the identity of the "mystery" celebrity through unofficial channels (as well as the "channel" is in breach of course).

    Not meaning to pick on anyone in particular, but the lack of understanding about what exactly an order suppressing the name of an offender means frequently surprises me.

    It is not a breach of a suppression order to have a private conversation with someone over who the prominent entertainer is. It is not a breach of a suppression order to tell your mother who it is in an email.

    A suppression order:
    [prohibits] the publication, in any report or account relating to any proceedings in respect of an offence, of the name, address, or occupation of the person accused or convicted of the offence, or of any other person connected with the proceedings, or any particulars likely to lead to any such person's identification.

    There's no statutory definition of "publication" in the Criminal Justice Act, but the courts have held that publication involves publicly disclosing or putting material in the public arena.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: So-called celebrity justice,

    The man involved pleaded guilty to a charge of "performing an indecent act with intent to insult" ... If you haven't heard that charge before, you're not alone – either no one is ever charged with it, or, more likely, it is never regarded as newsworthy in the media.

    It's what you can be charged with for publicly mooning someone (though they'd usually just go with offensive behaviour - max fine $1000) rather than this, with its maximum of two year's prison.

    There are some awesome offences still on the books - denying or impugning the validity of a marriage is among my favourites.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: The March for Democracy,

    Is crime down?

    I thought it was.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

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