This is significant, although the role of the Premier—nominally number two in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hierarchy—is not quite as important as some may think.

Much of the power is now deeply centralised in President Xi Jinping.

Don't get me wrong—it is still a positive sign for our trading relationship to have Li Qiang here, but as his predecessor found out, he holds little actual power.

The visit, however, reminded me of the court case in Hong Kong in which I have been recently named as part of sedition and foreign collusion charges against democracy activists.

I thought I would share this story below as a reminder of what sort of regime Premier Li Qiang represents.

Currently, several court trials are occurring in Hong Kong involving democracy activists.

These cases result from the relatively new National Security Law that Hong Kong passed at Beijing's behest.

It ensures that any questioning of the CCP is unlawful.

One case involves Jimmy Lai and Andy Li.

Jimmy is a 74-year-old Hong Kong businessman and publisher of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper.

Some may even recall the clothing brand Giordano, which Jimmy created.

Andy Li is a young Hong Konger who co-founded a pro-democracy group during the 2019 protests.

Both have been accused by the Hong Kong government of sedition and colluding with foreign forces.

In Jimmy's case, he's accused of being behind the massive protests in 2019-2020.

The CCP knows these protests were spontaneous across the populace, but they are keen to scapegoat one man.

That he shared thoughts with journalists overseas, such as my friend Benedict Rogers in the United Kingdom, is now deemed a crime by the CCP.

Andy Li - who we reliably understand has been tortured by the CCP authorities - is also accused of talking to foreigners about the situation in Hong Kong.

He is further accused of voluntarily posting web content for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).

For this action in particular, I have been named along with Louisa Wall.

She and I wrote a letter, as IPAC co-chairs, back in 2020, asking the New Zealand government to rule out any extraditions to Hong Kong.

Andy is accused of publishing our letter on the IPAC website.

Yes, you have read that right - a man has been arrested, tortured, and taken to court partly because he published a letter two New Zealand MPs wrote to their own government.

Importantly, we are not the only ‘foreign' Members of Parliament mentioned in the case—ours is but a passing mention.

Others from overseas are accused of much more and named specifically as co-conspirators.

So why is Beijing (and Hong Kong) so keen to name people such as Louisa and me, along with at least fifteen others?

As I told Sam Sachdeva at Newsroom, this is the CCP interfering with the work of democratic Members of Parliament.

It intends to create a chilling effect, or warning, to current MPs to not say or write anything that criticises the CCP or calls into question its actions.

The CCP is making it clear that speaking up has a cost—not just for those in Hong Kong but also for those who support them.

Sadly and wrongly, Jimmy and Andy will be found guilty.

The CCP has already determined this result.

If Jimmy and Andy are said to have colluded with ‘foreign forces,' then we are, by extension, the other party involved and also guilty.

This is not a formal charge, of course, but it still means that travel to Chinese-aligned countries comes with serious risk.

There is also a psychological aspect.

It is deeply upsetting to consider that the normal work of a Member of Parliament can be misused in such a way that innocent people will go to prison.

Let's be clear—the trial is a sham, and good people are caught up in it. But this reflects the heart of autocratic regimes, a regime that Premier Li Qiang represents.

So, as New Zealand Ministers meet this man and roll out the red carpet, they might want to spare at least a thought for Jimmy and Andy.

They are ‘just' two people but represent many, many more who are repressed by this Communist regime.

• Simon O'Connor is a New Zealand politician and a former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives for the National Party. He represented the Tamaki electorate from 2011 to 2023. He chaired the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee from 2017 to 2020 and was a member of the Justice Committee from 2021 to 2023.
• First published by Simon O'Connor from On Point

They are former National MP Simon O'Connor and ex-Labour MP Louisa Wall.

Jimmy Lai and Andy Li

Catholic entrepreneur and democracy activist Jimmy Lai is on trial.

He founded the popular pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily. He was arrested in 2020 under a draconian national security law.

That law criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers. It applies throughout the world.

Lai faces two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces.

Ipac

Lai's alleged links with the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) is a focus of his trial.

Ipac is a trans-national cross-party grouping of politicians who are critical of China.

Jailed activist and former Ipac volunteer Andy Li has testified against Lai.

Li is thought to have been tortured before giving evidence, providing prosecutors with a statement against Lai.

He claimed Lai backed an Ipac push for sanctions against Hong Kong over the national security law.

Beijing imposed the 2020 law following pro-democracy protests in the city.

Ipac's founder, Luke de Pulford, says Lai "had nothing whatsoever to do with any of my work on Hong Kong".

The NZ MPs concerns

O'Connor and Wall wonder why, given the potential implications for their safety, foreign affairs officials didn't know their names had featured in the national security trial proceedings.

Wall is "deeply concerned" about this.

"We urge the relevant authorities to promptly reach out to us and provide the necessary assistance and guidance to address this matter with the seriousness it warrants."

She says it is concerning that MFAT seems unaware that she and O'Connor were mentioned during Lai's trial.

She finds it "equally troubling that no one has yet contacted us directly".

Why were Wall and O'Connor named?

Wall and O'Connor are former Ipac New Zealand co-chairs.

A news outlet claims their names came up on March 27.

That was when the prosecution asked Li to confirm he was responsible for publishing a joint statement from the pair on the organisation's website in July 2020.

That statement asked the New Zealand government to rule out extraditions to Hong Kong under the national security law.

Wall and O'Connor argued the law "fundamentally compromises the democracy and rule of law in Hong Kong".

MPs work misused

O'Connor says Hong Kong authorities appeared to be misusing MPs' normal work.

The result is "a somewhat chilling effect" on public debate about China in New Zealand politics.

"I view it as a sham trial. That the normal work of a Member of Parliament here in New Zealand has been misused in a trial of good people [Lai and Li] is both inappropriate and quite upsetting."

MFAT says it had "not been present at any sessions where New Zealand MPs were specifically mentioned".

Source

• Newsroom

Tamaki's focus was the election result and the state of Kiwi society.

The outspoken Bishop began his address with an apology for being late, attributing it to watching the All Blacks.

Still, his speech quickly turned political and confrontational as he addressed the election outcomes.

"So did National win last night on the back of the fact is that we're so anti-Christ that a person (Simon O'Connor former Tamaki MP) can't any longer stand up for their Christian faith?

"Just to say: I agree with the abortion changes in America?

"What sort of Christians are we breeding? ... Gutless Kiwis ... gutless Christians!"

Despite Tamaki's fervour, the Destiny Church-affiliated Freedoms NZ umbrella party managed to secure only 0.31 percent of the total votes, totaling 7031.

Hannah Tamaki, wife of the Bishop also shared her thoughts on the election results during the gathering.

"I'm actually quite glad that the prime minister of the day is a married man who has a beautiful wife and children because the exiting one told everybody last night that 'a lot of you don't know my partner Toni.' Well, we knew, but we didn't know," Hannah said.

This impassioned gathering highlighted the ongoing debates and divisions within New Zealand society over issues related to faith, politics, and societal values.

Source

• Stuff

In June, National Party leader Christopher Luxon denied O'Connor's right to freedom of speech and freedom of conscience after he told the MP to remove a Facebook post concerning the overturn of Roe v Wade.

"Simon O'Connor's post was taken down because it was causing distress and does not represent the position of the National Party," Luxon said in a June statement.

CathNews approached a person close to the National Party for comment.

"It's just the political inexperience of Christopher Luxon coming back to haunt him," CathNews was told.

"The party's popularity is recovering slowly, (after Luxon's take-down order), but people are still not fully convinced by Chris."

"Traditionally, the National Party treats abortion and other life matters as conscience issues, and while not agreeing with O'Connor's enthusiasm, I respect his right to his view," CathNews was told.

However, Luxon also describes himself as being pro-life and last year said he believes abortion is tantamount to murder.

He also clarified that New Zealand's abortion laws would not be "re-litigated or revisited" under a future National Government.

Over the weekend, it was confirmed that three others want to be National's candidate in the Tamaki electorate.

Well known for his pro-life views, O'Connor holds the seat for National with an 8,068 vote majority; the third highest of all National MP's in the 2020 election.

It is the first time he has been challenged since he won the safe blue Tamaki's seat in 2011.

Apart from confirming he is seeking re-selection, O'Connor is refusing to discuss the challenge. Under National Party rules, nominees are not allowed to speak publicly until after the selection process.

"I'm very much focused on working with the excellent team here and putting to them why I'm still the best choice," he says.

One of those reportedly challenging him is Claire Ward.

She is the sister to blogger Cameron Slater and the daughter of former National party president John Slater.

Family friends include Judith Collins.

Ward was a strong critic of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2021. She spoke out in videos on social media criticising the impacts of lockdowns on businesses and mental health, as well as the vaccine mandates.

To continue to be nominated to stand for National, O'Connor needs local party members' and delegates' support.

It is rare for sitting MPs to face a challenge in their own electorate.

All National candidates - including current MPs - have to go through National's new screening processes before the next election. These processes include police checks and having their social media and personal history vetted.

Source

• NZ Herald

The event celebrates the value of life and the unborn child and offers a peaceful protest against New Zealand's abortion laws.

"Forty-three years ago, Parliament passed a law that said not all unborn children have a right to life," organisers say.

"Under that law more than half a million pre-born children were aborted.

"Abortion not only takes the life of a human being, it wounds women physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and families are negatively affected.

"New Zealanders love both women and their unborn children, and we want the law to reflect that love."

Among the organisations at the March for Life was Gianna's Choice Mobile Life Centre, a Family Life International programme.

Its founder/director spoke of the pro-life movement's willingness to serve and support mothers when they most need help.

"When people see the Centre, a whole new world of possibilities of reaching abortion-vulnerable women is opened up for them," said Colleen Bayer.

Another organisation at the march was South Auckland's ProLove. In the few months since it was founded, ProLove says it has distributed 500 boxes of goods to mothers and babies in need the local community.

Former National List MP Agnes Loheni spoke when the March reached parliament grounds.

Loheni, who sat on the Abortion Legislation Committee, said although the State will protect some vulnerable, pre-born babies are not included.

"History ... will not judge the passing of this Abortion Legislation kindly."

The coming restrictions on speech about abortion are concerning, Loheni said.

It "is only a short jump from banning speech outside an abortion clinic to banning speech that is anti-abortion," she said.

Pro-life politician, Simon O'Connor, acknowledges the difficult decision made by women who have had an abortion.

"To those mums ... we stand with you, we love you, we support you," he stated.

He challenged fathers who pressure women into abortion "to love them and to love your child ...".

Recognizing "that much death has been legislated" this year, he encouraged the crowd to: "Have those conversations ... In a few years' time we will ... celebrate that life has once more returned to Aotearoa."

A message delivered via video by Lila Rose, the founder and director of Live Action, an educational and activist pro-life group in the United States was broadcast to the crowd.

There are three important tasks to continue with now the March for Life has been held, she said: education, involvement and prayer.

"The movement isn't just today," she stated. "The movement is throughout the year until we reach victory, which is the complete ending of abortion and the rebuilding of a culture of life."

A small group of counter protestors were also present during the event.

They followed the March for Life from Civic Square to Parliament where they had booked lawn space.

Here, March attendees were able to positively interact with some of the protestors, who were generally young.

Source

• Family Life International
• Image: Scoop

Over the last two years, it has been my responsibility to lead the inquiry into assisted suicide and euthanasia as requested by a petition to Parliament.

I led a group of dedicated MPs from a cross-section of parties in listening to what New Zealanders had to say about this difficult but important subject.

I felt it was essential that I maintained an unbiased, even-handed process, though I made no secret of my own personal concerns about the topic.

From the outset, I believed it was important for all those concerned to know my opinion so that they could watch me and ensure that I behaved in a fair manner towards all sides and I have appreciated the statements by MPs and by the petitioner acknowledging my professional impartiality.

Over 21,000 New Zealanders wrote to the committee with their own thoughts on assisted dying and euthanasia. Of those, 944 people spoke to us in person over 108 hours of hearings.

This inquiry was the largest ever undertaken by a New Zealand Parliament and was the largest, most public discussion ever held on this topic.

Now that the investigation is complete, now that all of the submitters have been heard, and the report has been written by the health committee as a whole, I feel I can finally say a few words myself.

Before entering Parliament I spent years studying ethics and philosophy at university, particularly around human rights.

Some might see these fields as impractical but they prepared me well for this investigation. My extensive readings, lectures, and discussions formed the basis of my objection to assisted suicide.

I entered this investigation willing to hear evidence from all sides and was prepared to consider new arguments if they were presented.

Unfortunately, the arguments in favour of assisted suicide and euthanasia are not terribly well-reasoned. They rely heavily on emotional experiences and intense ideologies.

These are not the best foundations for building laws, but they are important and they do deserve to be heard. Continue reading

• Simon O'Connor is National MP for Tamaki and chaired Parliament's health select committee which has recommended no action be taken on the petition of Maryan Street and 8,974 others to allow medically-assisted dying in the event of terminal illness or unbearable suffering.