The Government's warning to MPs to stay away from Falun Gong events is outrageous, Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesperson says.
In an email sent yesterday afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully's office told MPs not to attend World Falun Dafa Day events taking place nationwide next week.
Foreign Minister Murray McCully Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
"The Chinese Embassy is likely to monitor attendance at events, and can be expected to protest officially should ministers, Members of Parliament or other officials be present," the email said.
"The media may also take an interest in Ministers' attendance. Given the sensitivities of this event, MFAT's advice is Ministers and MPs should not attend World Falun Dafa Day events."
Two hours later, the minister's office retracted the email, saying it was intended only for government ministers and MPs. "Apologies for the administrative error in the mailing list, the advice was directed at National Party Members only," the retraction email said.
It was was accidentally sent to all MPs including Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesperson David Shearer, who said it was not up to the Foreign Affairs Minister to dictate what MPs could and could not attend.
David Shearer Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
"It is outrageous to warn MPs off attending events. New Zealand has a proud history of free speech, freedom of religion and an independent foreign policy. It should be Kiwis and Kiwis only who should decide where they go and who they associate with," he said.
A spokesperson for Mr McCully said the warning was only meant to be sent to ministers and MPs acting in an official capacity.
He said it was not meant to be sent to opposition MPs and was sent to the wrong mailing group by mistake.
He said the error had been been clarified with the unintended recipients.
But Kerry Dore, a lawyer for the New Zealand Falun Dafa Association, said the directive was outrageous.
"If a National Party MP wants to attend World Falun Dafa Day, in order to celebrate the practice, they ought to be able to do so," he said.
"I think that the Chinese communist party should be mature enough to accept that in this country, unlike theirs, we actually do have things like rights to freedom of expression."
