Complaints to Waimakariri District Council over Matt King speaking event
Tuesday, 3 May 2022
A politician who has publicly expressed anti-vaccination and anti-mandate views will be allowed to speak at a Waimakariri council facility, after the council dismissed objections.
Former National MP Matt King is booked to speak at the Rangiora Town Hall on May 18, along with two other Christchurch events, as part of a “country-wide roadshow” promoting his new party DemocracyNZ.
Waimakariri District Council received four complaints about the event, claiming it breached council facility conditions. However, a council spokesman said it met “our terms of booking”.
King said the complaints were “serious allegations” and lies designed to discredit him.
The former one-term National MP from Northland was this week trespassed from Parliament grounds for spending time at the anti-mandate protest in Wellington, along with former deputy prime minister Winston Peters.
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**
A Waimakariri resident, who asked not to be named, said council booking conditions stated that venues could not be “for any performance or activity that is of an objectionable nature, is in breach of reasonable standards of public decency or is likely to create a nuisance”.
King posted videos online showing him speaking about his anti-vaccination and anti-mandate views with a Counterspin banner hung in the background at Towai Tavern, Bay of Islands, on April 30.
The complainant also contacted a councillor with his concerns but the councillor told him he did not even know who King was.
King challenged objectors to provide evidence that what he said was offensive.
“When I talk it’s relaxed and casual and interactive. There is nothing controversial about it.”
He was coming to Rangiora “by request”, and planned on travelling to many other small towns like Gore, he said.
He always ensured venue owners knew who he was and were happy with him speaking there, specifically mentioning Lone Star in Queenstown where he was booked to speak this month.
The owner of the restaurant refused to comment when approached by Stuff.
A Waimakariri District Council spokesman said its venues welcomed “all kinds of groups” and they were “for everyone to use”. It was not uncommon for political organisations to book public venues for meetings.
“In regard to this event there was nothing misleading about the purpose of the meeting and the group has met our terms of booking,” he said.
“While I appreciate some may not agree with the views of this group, everyone has the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
King said his parliament trespass notice was “the most pathetic, weak and undemocratic breach of my rights”. “I did nothing wrong.”
He was passive and non-violent while visiting protestors, he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has asked the Speaker to speak to other political parties about the trespass notice issued against Winston Peters.
King supported Police and Defence Force personnel in their High Court bid against the vaccine mandate, which was won on February 25.
During his term, he controversially said “climate change is natural and mankind's impact is minimal”.
King is a former police officer and detective.