Anti-co-governance group finding it difficult to book venues

An anti-co-governance group - whose website likens the idea to 9/11 and apartheid - is finding it difficult to book venues for its nationwide roadshow.

But, Stop Co-Governance founder evangelist Julian Batchelor is confident saying for “every three that cancel, we have six that pop up like mushrooms all over the country”.

The meetings have already sparked controversy - with Police separating counter-protesters and attendees in Auckland’s Orewa earlier this month.

An online petition calling for Batchelor’s tour to be axed has already garnered thousands of signatures - alleging the roadshow incites racial disharmony between Māori and Pakeha.

Of the 35 meetings planned from now until mid-July, 14 venues are listed on the group’s website.

After being contacted by Newstalk ZB - eight of those have either cancelled, refused a booking, haven’t received a booking or are meeting to decide whether to decline.

The Ruakaka Recreation Centre posted to its Facebook page to say the Stop Co Governance event there, which was scheduled for tonight, has been cancelled.

The Cambridge Town Hall Community Trust has also confirmed its cancelled the group’s booking.

In its “Cambridge Town Hall Hirers Guide” it states the Trust or Destination Cambridge Incorporated reserves the right to cancel any hire at any time should they have reason to believe the hire will “adversely affect the smooth running of the Town Hall, the safety of the hirers, or DCI’s business, security or reputation”.

Police separate protestors at the Ōrewa leg of Julian Batchelor's 'Stop Co-Governance' tour. Photo / Jake Law

The Wellsford RSA was more straightforward, replying to questions about the booking with a simply put, “cancelled”.

After a club discussion, the Rotorua Bowling club canned its booking as well - and the Mount Maunganui Community Hall’s set to review the booking there at its next committee meeting.

But, public venue holders are in a tougher spot.

Despite its venues being listed on the group’s website, Timaru District Council hasn’t received a booking - and while Taupo District Council hasn’t either, it says its responsibility as a public venue holder is to make them available for everyone to use.

Council CEO Gareth Green says they would rent it out.

“It does not mean that we accept or agree with their stance. And in fact, the Taupo District Council clearly does not,” he said.

The group’s next confirmed meeting is at Auckland’s Mt Eden War Memorial Hall.

Auckland Council says if a booking’s accepted, it doesn’t mean council endorses the event’s content - but rather, it’s obliged to manage venues in a “non-discriminatory manner”.

Tauranga City Council says while the group’s beliefs don’t align with its views - its booking at the Historic Village Hall will remain.

But, it is monitoring the group and is open to changing its position if there’s evidence the group’s shifted away from “free speech”.

Waikato University law professor Al Gillespie says public authorities are obligated to adhere to the Bill of Rights, which comes with it freedom of speech.

He says you don’t have an absolute right to freedom of speech if it’s going to cause an upset to public safety.

But, public venues can’t ban something just because they think it may cause an incident.

“They should take guidance from the authorities, like the Police, about what the upset may look like and steps you can do to remedy that before actually banning them. That might mean extra security, for example”

Group founder Julian Batchelor has confidence he’ll be able to keep his show on the road.

“Some of the bookings have been difficult, others have been easy,” he says. “It depends who the booking people are. We’ve found that people who have some character and an IQ over room temperature, they know what’s going on ...”

On his group’s likening of co-governance to 9/11 - Batchelor admits, it’s not as severe.

“Obviously it’s not up there with 9/11 because people aren’t dying and we haven’t had planes crash into the venues.”