Immigration New Zealand have confirmed they intend to review the eligibility of Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker – a controversial anti-transgender activist, to enter Aotearoa.
The UK-based anti-trans activist, Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker, is planning to hold rallies at various venues across NZ, including Albert Park in Auckland and Civic Square in Wellington this coming weekend.
However, her eligibility to enter NZ has come into question following a recent event in Melbourne, which saw supporters performing Nazi salutes and harassing trans rights protesters. Immigration New Zealand GM Richard Owen has confirmed her visa waiver (eligible to UK citizens) is now under review.
Speaking about the matter, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins refused to comment on the immigration process; however, added that people cannot use the right of free speech as an outlet to incite hate or violence.
“I condemn people who use their right to free speech to do that in a way that seeks to deliberately create division,” Hipkins explained.
“It’s not something that I would attend or engage with, and I don’t think it’s helpful overall to social cohesion or to actually rational and constructive debate.”
“I guess my message is: anybody exercising their right to free speech, whatever the circumstances are, should be mindful that we don’t want to incite hateful behaviour or violence – in fact, it’s illegal to do so – and I think everybody should bear that in mind,” he added before concluding, “You can’t express your rights to free speech in a way that incites people to harm others.”
Speaking with the Herald, Keen-Minshull described the visa review as “insane”.
“I find [the review] absolutely Orwellian, insane. I would agree with [Hipkins]. I condemn free speech when it’s used to silence women, for example, when people say men can be women.”
“Free speech is a difficult principle to uphold, and I fundamentally uphold it,” Keen-Minshull added.
Keen-Minshull also denied that any of her supporters would pose any risk to the public, saying, “There’s not a single woman who ever attended any of my events and has been the aggressor. Middle-aged women asking for their rights are not going and intimidating anyone on the opposing side.”
However, when questioned about footage of supporters in Melbourne giving Nazi salutes Keen-Minshall hit back, saying, “They’re absolutely not associated with me whatsoever. I absolutely abhor anything to do with Nazis. It’s preposterous they even exist in 2023.”
The Rainbow Green’s have also written to the immigration minister calling for Keen-Minshull to be banned from Aotearoa.
National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis told RNZ’s First Up:
“This is a free and liberal democracy and part of that is that we believe in freedom of expression even when we really don’t like the views of those that are expressing themselves freely.
“We uphold that right. And I’m a big believer that sunlight is a good disinfectant. Where people have views that some of us find abhorrent, sometimes the best thing is to allow others to respond with their counter views.”
