Free Speech Union - Latest News [Page 6]
Free Speech Union Welcomes IPCA Decision To Review Inaction Of Police At Albert Park
Friday, 21 July 2023, 1:17 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union has welcomed the decision by the Independent Police Conduct Authority to review the inaction of police during the Let Women Speak event at Albert Park. 25,000 Kiwis signed a public letter denouncing the way speech rights were denied ... More >>
Free Speech Union Gives Feedback On Independent Electoral Review Interim Report
Monday, 17 July 2023, 12:56 pm | Free Speech Union
With submissions closing today, the Free Speech Union has given its own feedback to the Independent Electoral Review on its recommendations to reform our electoral system. The right to free speech is foundational to our democracy and the ... More >>
'Do As We Say, Not As We Do': Report On Local Government Misses Opportunity To Enhance Democratic Speech Rights
Wednesday, 21 June 2023, 4:40 pm | Free Speech Union
The final report of the Review into the Future for Local Government, while raising some important points on democracy and local government participation, has missed an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the speech rights of Kiwis and elected ... More >>
BSA Guidelines Good For Press Freedom, But Caution Of Overreach Needed
Tuesday, 20 June 2023, 1:36 pm | Free Speech Union
New guidelines released by the Broadcasting Standards Authority on media coverage of gender issues have rightly reaffirmed the importance of press freedom and free expression. However, the open threshold around ‘harm’ must be carefully ... More >>
Research Finds Culture Of Fear Limiting Academic Freedom Across Kiwi Universities
Friday, 26 May 2023, 8:53 am | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union, in conjunction with Curia Market Research, has released its second Annual Academic Freedom Report, which considers the views of hundreds of academics from across each of New Zealand's eight universities. "Academic freedom is indispensable ... More >>
Free Speech Union Welcomes National's Call For Review Of Police Inaction At Protest
Wednesday, 29 March 2023, 12:06 pm | Free Speech Union
The National Party has called for a review of why police failed to defend free speech at Albert Park, joining their voice with the over 20,000 Kiwis calling for the Minister of Police and Police Commissioner to address police inaction. We welcome their support ... More >>
High Court Decision The Only Right Result For Nation That Values Free Speech
Friday, 24 March 2023, 1:39 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision of the High Court to reject the application to overrule the decision of the Minister of Immigration to allow Kellie-Jay entry into New Zealand. This was the only right result for a nation that ... More >>
Free Speech Union Granted Intervening Status In Posie Parker Judicial Review
Friday, 24 March 2023, 9:30 am | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union will be an intervener this morning as the High Court considers whether Immigration New Zealand's decision to allow Posie Parker (Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull) entry into New Zealand was legal, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free ... More >>
Sense Prevails As Immigration NZ Chooses To Allow Free Speech Of British Speaker
Thursday, 23 March 2023, 9:25 am | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by Immigration New Zealand to not suspend Kellie-Kay Keen-Minshull's NZeTA and to allow her entry into the country, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union. “The Free Speech Union envisions ... More >>
Academics Invited To Respond To Survey For Report On Academic Freedom
Wednesday, 22 March 2023, 9:06 am | Free Speech Union
In conjunction with Curia Market Research, the Free Speech Union has distributed a survey on academic freedom to academics across each of the eight universities in New Zealand. Respect for academic freedom is a statutory responsibility for universities, ... More >>
Te Pūkenga Teaching Staff Must Have Their Academic Freedom Upheld And Affirmed
Thursday, 16 March 2023, 10:16 am | Free Speech Union
The academic freedom of the teaching staff at Te Pūkenga must be upheld and affirmed. Academics in New Zealand have the responsibility to be society’s 'critic and conscience', yet through instructions like those issued by the Chief Executive, academic freedom ... More >>
Rotorua Lakes Council Votes To Silence Submitters With Censorious Submissions Policy
Thursday, 9 February 2023, 2:43 pm | Free Speech Union
The Rotorua Lakes Council voted yesterday, without public consultation, to progress a policy to “remove from consideration” public submissions if they are deemed “offensive”, “discriminatory” or “irrelevant”. This represents a clear ... More >>
Hate Speech Laws Withdrawn: Major Victory For Free Speech
Wednesday, 8 February 2023, 7:49 pm | Free Speech Union
The Government has finally done the right thing by scrapping its neo-blasphemy laws, the product of its “hate speech” proposals, after a years-long fight. This is a major victory for free speech, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free ... More >>
Free Speech Union Welcomes Select Committee Report On Public Media Bill, But Media Independence Still An Issue
Monday, 30 January 2023, 9:47 am | Free Speech Union
The report by the Economic Development, Science, and Innovation Committee has suggested essential changes to the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill. Many of these changes are straight out of the Free Speech Union submission on this Bill and we are glad ... More >>
No, It's Not 'understandable': Sport Northland Contravenes NZBORA By Denying Venue Access
Friday, 27 January 2023, 1:49 pm | Free Speech Union
The decision by Sport Northland to deny 'Stop Co-Governance', a community group, use of their Whangarei venue to hold a public meeting is illegal and defies the rights given to all Kiwis to voice their political opinions. This case, yet again, illustrates ... More >>
Appointment Of Chief Executive At Human Rights Commission An Opportunity For Reset
Wednesday, 25 January 2023, 1:42 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union notes the appointment of Meg de Ronde as the new Chief Executive of the Human Rights Commission, the first ever to hold this role, and welcomes the opportunity for a reset towards core human rights at the Commission, says Jonathan ... More >>
Neo-blasphemy Law Passes First Reading, Taking Kiwis' Speech Rights Backward
Wednesday, 14 December 2022, 11:58 am | Free Speech Union
The Human Rights (Incitement on Ground of Religious Belief) Amendment Bill has passed its First Reading in Parliament and been sent to the Justice Select Committee. This Bill criminalises speech that ‘incites hostility’ by being contemptuous, ridiculing, ... More >>
Thousands Call For Parliament To Keep Terrorist Charges For Terrorist Activities And Material Only
Wednesday, 30 November 2022, 12:20 pm | Free Speech Union
In less than 24 hours, over 5,000 Kiwis have signed the Free Speech Union's petition calling on Parliament to drop Clause 15 of the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Bill . The Justice Select Committee must protect Kiwis' ... More >>
Government Backdown On 'Hate Speech' Laws Major Win For Free Speech
Saturday, 19 November 2022, 1:23 pm | Free Speech Union
The Free Speech Union welcomes Minister of Justice Kiri Allan’s announcement that each of the 6 proposals released last year to amend hate laws will be dropped, except the inclusion of religious communities. We commend the Minister for listening to ... More >>
Terrorist Charges For Terrorist Active And Content Only
Friday, 18 November 2022, 9:48 am | Free Speech Union
Changes proposed under Clause 15 of the Counter-Terrorism Acts (Designations and Control Orders) Amendment Bill extend the term 'terrorist' (and the option for 'Control Orders,' which remove many basic civil liberties) to those who possess 'objectionable ... More >>