Over 500 protesters arrested in UK - could it happen here?

Over the weekend, history was made in the UK, but not in a good way. More than 500 people were arrested for protesting peacefully, holding signs, and wearing shirts with slogans. Yes, you read that correctly. 
 
They may have been expressing support for a controversial cause, but you and I both know that’s not the point. How a peaceful protest can lead to 500 arrests should deeply trouble us all. 

These events serve as a stark reminder that we must not be complacent about our freedoms in New Zealand.

Some may say we’re fearmongering, but when a fellow Commonwealth country succumbs to extreme censorship, I think we must be more vigilant than ever. 
 
You have a voice in our nation. And together, we’ve previously proven the power of advocating for speech rights together. 📢

Record-breaking mass protester arrests in UK should ring alarm bells for terrorism law reform in NZ

Free speech is a safety valve, and protest is an essential democratic right. Take this away, and you’re left with building pressure and discontent. When people no longer feel they can express themselves, they turn to action. 

Plus, I for one would much rather know what someone else thinks and make my own mind up about whether to listen or engage, rather than have someone else decide what is acceptable on my behalf!

The UK is sending an alarming message to the rest of the world, and we urge NZ’s lawmakers to pay attention.

The hundreds arrested in the UK over the weekend were expressing support of Palestine Action, a recently designated terrorist group. Whether or not you agree with the designation, the idea that peaceful political expression, however unpopular, can result in arrest, is deeply troubling. 
 
Recent reports in NZ show our Ministry of Justice is considering reforming our terrorism laws that could potentially see political commentary and particular symbols fall within the law’s scope. But the UK shows us this is the wrong path and risks significantly curtailing our freedoms.  

Together, we successfully fought off dangerous ‘hate speech’ laws. With an average of 30 speech-related arrests made per day in the UK, it shows us the terrible position we could have been in if tens of thousands of Kiwis had not pushed back. 
 
Now is not the time to let our guard down.
 
We don’t have to sit by while we watch frustrating and unjust stories on the news. One glance at the UK shows what happens if we take this for granted. Our democracy means we can get stuck in. 

Do your local candidates stand for free speech? 

With local government elections around the corner, we’re working to make sure Kiwis up and down the country have the information they need to vote... for free speech.  
 
Supporters of the Free Speech Union should be the individuals most likely to vote in the country.  
 
It simply doesn’t make sense to care about our right to speak up and participate in public discourse if we won’t participate in public elections that select our representatives.  
 
We know of a number of Free Speech Union members who are running for local government, but what about the other candidates? Where do they stand on free speech? 
 
To answer these questions, next month (ahead of voting opening), we will release our 2025 voters’ guide, built on the free speech questionnaire that has gone out to thousands of candidates. 

Keep your eyes open for this important resource: all you’ll need to do is open the report, scroll to your local district, and you’ll see a list of all candidates who have responded to our questionnaire, and which one of them are Free Speech Union members.
 
We ask them about their stance on banning events hosted by council venues if some find the event controversial, and whether or not councils should delete comments on their social media that are critical of the council. 
 
Similarly, we ask their opinions on removing public artwork if community members find it offensive, and if council staff have full freedom to express their political views in their lives outside of work.   
 
It’s easy to belittle the importance of local government, complain about high rates, and ignore those trying to serve our local communities. But the deal with democracy (and free speech) is that what you put in, you get out.

We look forward to identifying the candidates with the strongest positions on free speech so you can make your own mind up.

Christchurch ratepayers can be trusted! 

You may have seen backlash over whether Philip Arps, who previously served time for sharing video footage of the Christchurch terror attacks, should be allowed to run for mayor in Christchurch.

Now, this may make you uncomfortable. But I ask you to consider this: can’t we trust Christchurch ratepayers to make the right decision for their city?  
 
Raising concerns about the inclusion of Philip Arps in the mayoral race based on his views challenges the wisdom of the public and undermines the democratic process. 
 
The democratic process means Arps has a right to stand, but at the end of the day, it also gives ratepayers the right to make their choice at the ballot box. 
 
As our CEO, Jillaine Heather, commented to The Press here, “Transparency leads to trust, and elites must not belittle citizens by assuming they cannot decide who is fit to stand as mayor.” 
 
Journalists are currently reporting on Philip’s criminal convictions and his publicly held views. This is what free speech in action looks like! And it’s exactly why open justice is essential.

Free speech is the most essential truth-seeking tool we have. 

Jonathan Ayling elected onto the InternetNZ board 💪 
 

I iust want to check – did you hear the fantastic news that Jonathan Ayling was successfully voted onto the InternetNZ board? 🥳🍾 
 
A huge thanks to everyone who followed our campaign and voted accordingly! 
 
Jonathan has his work cut out for him, but we'll be behind him every step of the way. This is just the beginning, and there'll be more from us yet. Watch this space! 👀
 
Our work with campaigns like this is never intended to force our worldviews on others; it’s quite the opposite. We want to ensure everyone has a right to voice their opinions (and access to the internet - our modern day 'public square'). 
 
A massive thank you also to Douglas Brown from our council for standing as a board candidate

Architects Board must prioritise safe practice over mandated ideologies 

Architects’ registrations and livelihoods should not be on the line over differing worldviews. 
 
The NZRAB is proposing to assess architects on whether their work reflects a particular ideological viewpoint rather than simply whether they are professionally competent.

The NZRAB invited us to be a key stakeholder in their consultation process on proposed expansions to the performance criteria required for architects’ professional registration; we gladly accepted! 
 
In our briefing paper, we urged NZRAB to consider matters that affect the safety of buildings and the public, leaving architects free to hold their own opinions regarding subjective topics such as the degree of integration of indigenous knowledge or Māori worldviews into the design process.

We believe architects should absolutely have the right to incorporate te ao Māori into their work, and to upskill in this area if they have a particular interest or a related project.

What we don’t believe is that they should be compelled to do this in all cases, on threat of losing their registration. 
 
That would be a dangerous overreach and incompatible with a liberal democracy. 
 
Hear my conversation on this with Andrew Urquhart this week. 

Fighting for free speech isn’t about defending one cause or another. It’s about protecting everyone’s ability to do so.

We are fortunate to enjoy the freedoms we do have in New Zealand, but we must defend those freedoms wisely. At the Free Speech Union, we have eight different memberships you can choose from – our general membership, plus profession-specific memberships for academics, lawyers, public servants, teachers, healthcare professionals, media professionals, and religious leaders.

We want to see Kiwis able to freely express themselves without fear of retribution – support your crucial freedom and ensure someone is in your corner today.

Stephanie Martin | Stakeholder Relationships

PS. We've already fought off dangerous ‘hate speech’ laws. The UK shows us the terrible position we could have been in if tens of thousands of Kiwis had not pushed back. We must not become complacent now. Partner with us to ensure New Zealand remains free.