“New Zealanders shouldn’t have to choose between their career and their right to free speech,” says ACT Public Service spokesperson Todd Stephenson.
“Today ACT is announcing a 2026 election policy to stop professional regulators acting as ideological enforcers. ACT will, if returned to Government, introduce legislation to this end. …
ACT will:
- Ban regulators from disciplining members for lawful expression outside their professional practice.
- Require regulators to remain institutionally neutral on political and ideological issues.
- Restrict mandatory training to matters directly related to professional competence and public safety, not affirmation of contested ideological positions.
- Strengthen judicial oversight so courts can properly rein in regulators that exceed their statutory authority.
“To be absolutely clear, professional misconduct will still be professional misconduct. If a nurse harms a patient, a teacher abuses a student, or a professional breaches their duties, regulators should come down hard.
“But if somebody expresses a lawful political opinion, supports a political party, signs a petition, attends a protest, or posts a view online in their own time, that is none of their regulator’s business.
Only a law change will stop the woke left trying to impose their political beliefs as a condition of registration on professions. If the Government is re-elected, I hope ACT insists this is in the Coalition Agreement.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
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