Duncan Garner calls Auckland Council 'stuffy' over far-right venue row

  • 19/07/2018

The AM Show host Duncan Garner has launched a blistering attack on Auckland Council's refusal to let a pair of far-right speakers rent public venues.

Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux were going to speak at the Auckland Council-owned Bruce Mason Centre, but Mayor Phil Goff announced on Twitter they would not be allowed to.

The show has now been cancelled, and a group calling themselves the Free Speech Coalition have raised more than $50,000 to take the council to court.

Garner told viewers and listeners on Thursday he thinks Mr Molyneux and Ms Southern deserve the chance to speak at the council venue.

"Let's be honest - the council's leadership doesn't want them in any of the council buildings doing their stuff because they're over-the-top controversial and they might even be offensive," he said.

"Because heavens forbid they might even wind people up and get us thinking. They might even offend - who really knows? Which is their right actually, free speech is exactly that, free speech."

Garner said hate speech differs from free speech, and the pair need to be heard before people take sides.

He said those who preach tolerance are becoming more intolerant and running roughshod over anyone who opposes their views.

"They want this tolerant world defined by their language and values and stuff the others. We must all be heard I reckon, all of us can be heard and then we can make up our minds after that," he said.

"Council, I reckon you look stuffy and you're up your own backside on this one."

Newshub.