Zealand Crimes Act 1961, which forbids any publication which intends to "incite, procure, or encourage violence, lawlessness, or disorder". The New Zealand Police cite the pamphlet Confiscation Day as being seditious. Selwyn admitted being in the vicinity of the electorate office that morning, and that he participated in the composition and distribution of both versions of the statements which explained that the protest was a symbolic act and also called upon "like-minded New Zealanders" (in the Confiscation Day statement) to take "similar action" of their own. During his trial Selwyn refused to answer questions concerning the other people involved. Selwyn appealed against the sedition conviction, calling the decision "dangerous and undemocratic" and having serious implications for freedom of speech . However, Judge Josephine Bouchier said when summing up that Selwyn knew the documents were unlawful and intended to encourage lawlessness and disorder, and the police were quoted as saying the verdict was a "victory for society". Selwyn's appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 4 April 2007 - the day before the NZ Law Commission, chaired by former Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, released its report into seditious offences. The report recommended a complete repeal. The report said the current law was "an unjustifiable breach of the right of freedom of expression" and that "they have been inappropriately used in New Zealand in times of political unrest and perceived threats to established authority. They have been used to fetter vehement and unpopular political speech. The time has come to remove the seditious offences from the New Zealand statute book." After much criticism of the sedition prosecution the Green Party, United Future, Act, and the Māori Party committed themselves to abolition and a bill based on the Law Commission's findings was introduced to parliament with the government's backing on 8 June 2007 that would repeal all seditious offences from 1 January 2008. During debate on the bill the Justice Minister Mark Burton described Selwyn's case as "famous, and some would say infamous" and Māori Party MP Hone Harawira said of Selwyn's situation: "The Government passes legislation to steal away people’s rights and then it charges people with sedition for daring to oppose such theft... for daring to speak up for the Treaty... and for daring to speak out for human rights." His colleague Tariana Turia read out the full text of Confiscation Day in parliament. The bill was passed