17 June 2026
The Free Speech Union has welcomed
ACT’s commitment to stop professional regulators policing
the lawful opinions of the people they license, and is
calling on every party in Parliament to support the same
principle – pointing to new polling that shows strong,
cross-party public backing.
Professional regulators
were set up to ensure consumer protection and competence.
Guarding against bad medical practice, dodgy legal advice,
dishonesty, and unsafe work. Increasingly, some are reaching
beyond that remit to discipline members for lawful views
expressed in their own time – putting careers at risk over
opinions that have nothing to do with how a person does
their job.
Polling the Free Speech Union commissioned
from Curia Market Research this month found New Zealanders
back limiting regulators to matters of competence and safety
by about three to one – 54 percent in favour and 18 percent
against. That support held right across the political
spectrum, with Labour and Green voters in favour, as well as
National, NZ First and ACT. A majority (57 percent) also
said they would not stop seeing a health practitioner simply
because that person had expressed a lawful view online that
they personally disagreed with.
“We’re pleased to see
ACT take up a principle we’ve been making the case for over
many years. No one should have to choose between their
profession and the freedom to hold a lawful opinion,” said
Free Speech Union Chief Executive Jillaine
Heather.
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“But this shouldn’t be any one party’s cause.
Our polling shows New Zealanders across the political
spectrum agree – so this is an open invitation to every
party in Parliament. We’ll welcome and work with anyone
ready to put it into law.”
The Free Speech Union has
championed this reform for years, and is supporting draft
legislation – the Regulated Professions Neutrality Bill –
prepared by our Council Chair, lawyer Stephen
Franks.
“Regulators were given their powers to protect
the public from incompetence and misconduct – not to enforce
a set of approved opinions,” said Heather.
The Free
Speech Union supports regulated professionals facing
disciplinary action over lawful expression, and is currently
assisting several individuals in exactly this
position.
About the Free Speech Union
The Free
Speech Union defends the right of New Zealanders, left,
right and centre, to speak, debate, and disagree freely. A
registered trade union and membership-based organisation, we
take cases, run campaigns, and educate on the importance of
free expression in a functioning democracy. More at
fsu.nz.
