Yeah that is pretty bad. I think that idea came out after a recent government report or something and Labour seem to be jumping on it as they're way way down in the polls. They haven't committed to it either which leads me to believe it's a political move, they were skirting around whether the would enforce it. I suspect it would lose them as many voters as it would gain, though. Their party leader has already come out and apologised for 'being a man' at a domestic violence victims meeting thingy, which wasn't taken very seriously by the wider public (rightly so).
I just don't see how the legal experts would think it's practical. Sure, it works when the person in court is actually a rapist but how is anyone else supposed to prove consent? It's he-said she-said except this time prison is the default outcome.
edit: It's worth pointing out that France already does this. They use the inquisitorial system to investigate serious crimes I believe. I don't think the inquisitorial system, by definition, implies the defendant is guilty. So I don't know where that part has come from in the article above. The inquisitorial system would seem to treat both rape and consent unproven at the start and then look for evidence that suggests one over the other.
In spud-related news:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/artic ... d=11290773
Mashed spuds were the order of the day in Dunedin last night as stunt scientist Tom Pringle, aka Dr Bunhead, claimed a Guinness World Record, by using a potato bazooka to fire nine potatoes through a tennis racket in three minutes.
"It's the most amazing feeling. But, it was also incredibly nerve-racking," he said after breaking the record with a second to spare.
The experiment at Mitre 10 Mega was part of the 2014 New Zealand International Science Festival.
Spectators were pre-warned to bring "ear-defenders, safety goggles and extra-strong underpants" to the demonstration.
"They're exciting experiments and big, dangerous experiments. They're the sorts of experiments you don't get to do at home," Dr Pringle said.
The attempt was one potato better than his 2004 world record of shooting eight spuds in three minutes.
"Part of the test is firing the potatoes through a tennis racket, to quantify the velocity," he said.
"A good musketeer could fire three shots a minute, which included loading, firing and cleaning the gun."
The potatoes reached speeds of up to 320km/h in the demonstration, which has still to be ratified by Guinness World Records.
Two justices of the peace, two timers and two video cameras were required to verify the feat.
The Plymouth-born educator has an international reputation for his dramatic science shows and tours the world startling and fascinating children and adults.
"Science can be dull, or it can be fascinating. It's about the delivery and talking about stuff people are interested in," he said.
"It's all about getting the 'wow' moment. Because when you get the 'wow' you get the 'why?"'