The AM Show host has unleashed a merciless broadside in response to remarks by the AM Show host.

High profile broadcaster and columnist Duncan Garner has this morning spoken truth to power, or more specifically, truth to high profile broadcaster and columnist Duncan Garner.

In a blistering attack on Newshub’s simulcast AM Show, Duncan Garner railed against the poison of “the speech police”.

“The speech police are winning the war,” said Duncan Garner.

“Those who overreact at everything we say and everything we do in society … We need to be careful that we do not lose the precious gift that we have in this country – it’s called the freedom of speech. When you lose it, have a look at that, it is so, so important we keep it. We need a contest of ideas and thought and creativity, so do not bow down to those who want to ring-fence society with their take on our society.”

Duncan Garner’s comments were a clear denunciation of recent comments by Duncan Garner, who last week attempted to ring-fence the speech of Taika Waititi. The film-maker’s observation that New Zealand is racist was “extreme” and “sabotage”, said Duncan Garner.

“This guy, he’s gone too far, it’s too extreme.

“Lighten up, and change the record. Come home and re-introduce yourself to your country. It’s a great little country that’s not without its challenges but we’re not as racist as fuck, OK? Stop selling us out on the international stage. There’s a word for it, and it’s called sabotage.”

Duncan Garner no doubt also had in mind similar remarks by Duncan Garner, who speech policed the bejesus out of Waititi over earlier criticisms of New Zealand last year.

“He was New Zealander of the Year, this year 2017, so he’s an ambassador for New Zealand now,” said Duncan Garner. “You cannot be this treasonous about your own country. You cannot say you’re not proud to be a New Zealander if you’re the New Zealander of the year.”

Under New Zealand law treason is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment.

Duncan Garner was also TV-subtweeting Duncan Garner over comments from 2016 in which the Chief Inspector (Treason Division) Duncan Garner assailed the Māori Party’s “hysterical crap” in opposing Helen Clark’s bid for the top job at the United Nations.

“Clark’s bid is NZ’s bid. It’s backed by the government and all grown up political parties – which happens to be all of them – except the Māori Party. Their opposition looks like treason – especially given all NZ taxpayers are helping pay for this Clark tilt at the job … Today is a sad day for NZ Inc on the world stage, and the Māori Party has broken all sorts of unwritten and informal agreements that, no matter what the politics are, we fight together on the international stage.”

Free speech is of course a complex area, and so also is being in the police. We would all do well, perhaps, to consider the words of Duncan Garner from November last year. “Free speech is great,” he wrote. “But use it wisely. Debate issues with some style.”

The Bulletin is The Spinoff’s acclaimed, free daily curated digest of all the most important stories from around New Zealand delivered directly to your inbox each morning.