The Justice Minister has been criticised for not providing “clarity” on proposed hate speech laws.

On TV3’s The Nation, Kris Faafoi was asked to provide examples of speech that would likely face prosecution.

He was asked if millennials criticising boomers for the housing crisis could be punished under the proposed hate speech laws.

“Potentially” he responded.

Faafoi said it would be up to police whether to prosecute and whether the speech was inciting hatred towards a particular group.

ACT leader David Seymour said hate speech is subjective and politicised.

“Police will end up facing pressure to prosecute people with unpopular views.”

“When they face that pressure, the first thing they’ll think is ‘well, even the guy behind this law didn’t know.’

“The last thing our hard working and already overstretched police want is to be pulled into enforcing an unclear and ambiguous political project by the Labour Party.”

“Faafoi showed today he simply doesn’t know how the laws will work or what will be included.”

“He admitted that people with unpopular views could face longer behind bars than someone who assaults a child.”

“Jacinda Ardern previously described the kind of language Labour would make unlawful: ‘…when you see it, you know it’.

Seymour said “threatening others or inciting violence should be illegal, but tests as subjective as ‘offensive’ or ‘insulting’ should never be used to prosecute offences.”

“This law has failed at the first test for a law, clarity. From here the Minister will only cause more confusion, and damage New Zealanders’ basic rights. He should cancel his ham fisted attempt to put cancel culture on steroids.”