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Free Speech Union - Latest News [Page 1]
Prominent American Journalist And Author To Tour New Zealand Universities With Free Speech Union
Thursday, 11 April 2024, 12:56 pm | Free Speech Union
Prominent American journalist and author Jonathan Rauch will visit New Zealand with the Free Speech Union next month to discuss the importance of academic freedom, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union. More >>
Personal Grievance Filed Against IRD For Suppressing Employee’s Speech
Monday, 8 April 2024, 2:50 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union has supported a member in filing a personal grievance against IRD with the Employment Relations Authority after an employee was threatened with disciplinary action for sharing particular opinions in a social media chat, says ... More >>
Gang Patch Ban Further Erosion Of Kiwis’ Speech Rights: FSU Submits To Justice Select Committee
Thursday, 4 April 2024, 5:20 am | Free Speech Union
Banning gang patches and insignia may be a politically popular decision in some communities, but is a troubling precedent further eroding Kiwis’ freedom of expression. More >>
Over 2,000 Submissions In Just 24 Hours Urge Royal Commission’s COVID-19 Inquiry To Examine Speech Rights
Thursday, 21 March 2024, 10:15 am | Free Speech Union
In 24 hours, over 2,000 Kiwis have submitted feedback using the Free Speech Union’s online tool to ensure the Royal Commission’s expanded terms of reference for the COVID-19 Inquiry includes an examination of speech rights, says Jonathan Ayling, ... More >>
Spurious ‘Heath And Safety’ Claims Lead Rotorua Lakes Council To Cancel Rainbow Storytime; Thugs’ Veto Lives On
Wednesday, 20 March 2024, 8:22 pm | Free Speech Union
Rotorua Lakes Council has either bowed to ‘thugs veto’ and canceled the Rainbow Storytime event which was set to occur tomorrow, or simply acted on contrived threats as an excuse to cancel the event. Either way, this sets a dangerous precedent for ... More >>
Proposed Ban Of Gang Patches Sets A Dangerous Precedent
Thursday, 7 March 2024, 4:19 pm | Free Speech Union
The Government has finally released legislation that will prohibit gangs from wearing patches in public. While this policy seeks to address an area of great concern for many Kiwis, this is not the way to address gang violence; it sets a terrible precedent ... More >>
Defendant In Posie Parker Assault Case Discharged Without Conviction, Name Suppression Granted. FSU To Appeal.
Monday, 4 March 2024, 6:59 pm | Free Speech Union
The young man who assaulted an elderly woman at the Posie Parker event in Albert Park last year has been discharged without conviction, with permanent name suppression granted. This is not justice. The Courts should not silence Kiwis’ from speaking ... More >>
Ministry Of Justice Wrong To Keep Public In The Dark On Proposed OIA Law Changes
Thursday, 29 February 2024, 4:02 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union calls on the Ministry of Justice to be transparent and foster open dialogue when changing laws affecting the Official Information Act (OIA). We echo the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties’ concerns that selecting a small ... More >>
Irish Comedian Graham Linehan To Tour New Zealand With Free Speech Union
Thursday, 8 February 2024, 3:31 pm | Free Speech Union
Graham Linehan, Irish comedy writer and author will tour New Zealand with the Free Speech Union in March, says Nathan Seiuli, Events and Outreach Manager. “Linehan will showcase his recent book, Tough Crowd which combines a comedy-writing masterclass ... More >>
Government’s Failure To Send Representative To Kīngitanga Hui A Missed Opportunity
Tuesday, 16 January 2024, 1:18 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union calls out the Government for failing to send a representative to the Kīngitanga hui this weekend and missing an opportunity to participate in an important discussion. The role of The Treaty/Te Tiriti, te reo, and race relations ... More >>
Police Must Persevere To Uphold Protest Rights, Condemn Violence
Friday, 12 January 2024, 2:49 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union endorses the Police's search for the man who assaulted a pro-Palestinian protester at an Auckland rally yesterday, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union. "The right to peacefully protest is a fundamental principle ... More >>
Free Speech Union Releases Briefing To Incoming Government, Outlining Key Areas Of Policy To Protect Free Speech
Friday, 8 December 2023, 12:47 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union has sent 14 Cabinet Ministers a comprehensive Briefing to the Incoming Government, outlining five key areas of policy that the Government must address in order to protect and expand Kiwis’ speech rights. We look forward to ... More >>
Free Speech Union Welcomes Announcement Of Kīngitanga Hui And Applauds Call For Constructive Dialogue
Thursday, 7 December 2023, 9:58 am | Free Speech Union
In response to growing concern at the Government’s policies regarding the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, the Kīngitanga has announced a national hui to which ‘all are invited’, to foster dialogue and greater unity on these contentious ... More >>
Art Is Political – Free Expression Through Art Must Be Protected
Tuesday, 28 November 2023, 2:58 pm | Free Speech Union
An art gallery housing an anti-Israel exhibition in Tauranga has been told to remove any public facing art from its front windows by a real estate agent. More >>
Second Arrest Of Protestor Shows Concerning Pattern Of Police Disregard For Free Speech
Tuesday, 28 November 2023, 10:35 am | Free Speech Union
In addition to the arrest of a peaceful silent protestor on Saturday, Lucy Rogers, at a pro-Palestinian rally in Auckland, another protestor has contacted the Free Speech Union after being arrested for 'obstruction' after standing peacefully near ... More >>
Woman Arrested For Peaceful Counter-protest: New Zealand’s Police Must Protect Right To Peaceful Protest
Monday, 27 November 2023, 12:32 pm | Free Speech Union
At the pro-Palestinian protest on Auckland’s Queen Street on Saturday, a peaceful counter-protestor was arrested for silently holding a sign. New Zealand’s Police must not fall into the trap of using “breach of the peace” laws to silence ... More >>
Free Speech Union Welcomes Government’s Early Steps To Defend Free Speech
Friday, 24 November 2023, 2:21 pm | Free Speech Union
Policy objectives announced today by the Incoming-Government will strengthen free speech in New Zealand. The Free Speech Union welcomes these early steps to once again protect free speech as the foundation of our human rights framework, says Jonathan ... More >>
Principal’s Eligibility Shouldn’t Depend On Ideological Litmus Test
Wednesday, 22 November 2023, 9:39 am | Free Speech Union
At the invitation of the Ministry of Education, the Free Speech Union has issued a submission opposing the proposed Principal Eligibility Criteria. As currently drafted, the criteria stand to impose specific ideology requirements on prospective principals, ... More >>
Thousands Sign Public Letter Calling For Tolerance In Debate Over Israel-Gaza Conflict
Monday, 13 November 2023, 12:33 pm | Free Speech Union
In just 48 hours, thousands of New Zealanders have joined their voices together in calling for a de-escalation of tensions over conflict in Israel and Gaza. We must insist that free speech enable us to peacefully express our strongly held opinions ... More >>
Censorship Doesn’t Work: National's Policy To Ban Patches Is Counterproductive
Wednesday, 1 November 2023, 2:12 pm | Free Speech Union
National’s policy to ban gang patches in public will cause more harm than good. It won’t protect those who are victims of gang violence and crime, and will push gangs further underground to fester. It’s a bad policy and will be counterproductive, ... More >>
