Attorneys-General discuss cross-border legal issues

Attorney-General David Parker has raised the issue of social media liability at a meeting with his counterparts from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. 

“Australian Senate and United Kingdom House of Commons Select Committee inquiries have identified, as yet unresolved, challenges to democracy and traditional media organisations posed by anonymous and extreme content on social media platforms, some of which is malevolent, overseas interference,” David Parker said. 

David Parker took part in two days of group discussions and bilateral meetings at the ninth annual “Quintet” meeting, held on the Gold Coast this week.  

The first half of the event consisted of a series of one-on-one bilateral meetings with the Attorneys-General, where he discussed social media liability. 

For the second half, the group took part in a joint session with their Five Country Ministerial colleagues - which on the New Zealand side included SIS and GCSB Minister Andrew Little and Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway - and separately as the Quintet.   

A session led by New Zealand discussed protections for vulnerable witnesses, and culturally and socially responsive alternative courts.  

Other topics included beneficial ownership, criminal information sharing, family law and family violence and international crime cooperation.   

Since its first meeting in 2009, the Quintet has provided a forum to share ideas and experiences with New Zealand’s key international partners, in particular on complex and cross-border legal issues, David Parker said. 

The other Attorneys-General attending were: The Honourable Christian Porter, (Australia), John Demers, Assistant Attorney General (USA), The Right Honourable Geoffrey Cox QC, (England and Wales) and The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, (Canada).