David Farrar: The hatred of the left for those with non-left views

The FSU released:

This Wednesday at the Ellen Melville Centre, Rob Campbell CNZM, Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology, sits down with Free Speech Union board member Ani O’Brien to discuss whether New Zealanders holding public appointments are still permitted political opinions. Campbell lost two chairmanships over a LinkedIn post. The subject of the evening is who gets told to stay quiet.

So this public forum (one of a series being done around NZ by the FSU using Ani) is on a very interesting topic. Rob Campbell was removed as Chair of HealthNZ due to his columns attacking the then National opposition. So this discussion is actually giving a voice to a long-term left activist (Campbell) by having a discussion about whether those with public appointments should be allowed to publish their political opinions.

Dr James Kierstead: ‘Academic freedom is now seriously under threat in New Zealand’

Academic freedom is an essential ingredient in any flourishing university system. It allows ideas to be put forward and debated, and thus underpins high-quality research and teaching.

An aspect of the freedom of expression that is protected in our Bill of Rights, academic freedom is also recognised in the Education Act, where it is defined as the freedom of academics and students ‘to question and test received wisdom, to put forward new ideas, and to state controversial or unpopular opinions.’ New Zealand has a proud legacy of academic freedom, with Karl Popper, in exile from his native Vienna, able to write his The Open Society and its Enemies here during World War II.