First Reading on Academic Freedom Bill big step in ensuring universities stay in their lane

15 May 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Reading on Academic Freedom Bill big step in ensuring universities stay in their lane

The Free Speech Union is proud to have contributed significantly to legislation to protect academic freedom in New Zealand, which passed its First Reading in Parliament yesterday afternoon. We welcome this opportunity to platform an important conversation on the critical role of universities and academics, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“Great universities have great impact on our society, but it is impossible for the academy to perform its role if ‘groupthink’ and self-censorship prevail. Consistently, across numerous metrics, academics at Kiwi universities have claimed to be caught in a ‘culture of fear’.

“This legislation strengthens the requirements on universities to protect academic freedom by ensuring they implement free speech policies, report annually on academic freedom, and refuse to adopt institutional positions on issues that just aren’t their business.

“The requirements for ‘Institutional Neutrality’ are a vital feature that constrains the institution’s voice in favour of ensuring that it is actually academics (who are the bearers of academic freedom) who get to make up their own minds on contested issues and speak out.

“In addition to having worked closely in the formation of this legislation, the Free Speech Union’s Inter-University Council on Academic Freedom will be submitting on this Bill, with further measures that will ensure all academics’ voices are protected.

“Further, the Free Speech Union will be hosting three events over the next three days in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington with expert panels discussing the implications of institutional neutrality, not only on universities but also on other major institutions.”

ENDS

Note to journalists: All media are welcome to the expert panel discussions on institutional neutrality this week: Auckland, today (15 May), Christchurch (16 May), and Wellington (17 May). For further details, click here.