Free Speech Union's Podcast: Recent Episodes
Free Speech Union
The official podcast of the Free Speech Union. Focused on protecting and promoting freedom of expression in New Zealand, the Free Speech Union Podcast hosts interviews with international and local guests discussing the importance of free speech in a free and open society.www.fsu.nz
In part two of this Free Speech Union Podcast, we follow Giles Brant and Peter Hardy to the end of their legal battle with the New Zealand Law Society. From a single email complaint to landmark rulings in the High Court and Court of Appeal, this episode traces their fight for free speech within the legal profession. Listen as they reflect on the principles at stake, the reality of challenging powerful institutions, and what it means to stand for truth and justice under intense scrutiny. Part two of two.
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In this episode of the Free Speech Union Podcast, council member Thomas Newman sits down with lawyers Giles Brant and Peter Hardie to unpack a chilling story of professional scrutiny and the fight for free speech. Hear how a simple email exchange triggered a gruelling disciplinary process with the Law Society — and what their ordeal reveals about the state of professional regulation today. This conversation explores the balance between professional ethics, personal freedoms, and the ever-present threat of censorship. Essential listening for anyone interested in where free speech and professional standards collide. Part one of two.
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In this episode, Nick and Steph sit down with Shamubeel Eaqub—an economist, author, and commentator—to discuss the findings of his recent study on social cohesion. They explore the various trends and factors contributing to a rise in people feeling less connected, and how we might move forward through free speech.
For more information about Shamubeel, check out his website: www.eaqub.com.
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In this episode, Nick is joined by Eric Heinze, Professor of Law and Humanities at Queen Mary, University of London. A leading voice in legal philosophy, human rights, and the law-and-literature movement, Heinze unpacks the ideas in his latest book, Coming Clean: The Rise of Critical Theory and the Future of the Left. Together, they explore the intersections of free speech, critical theory, and the ongoing battles in today’s culture wars.
You can find more information about Eric at www.ericheinze.com
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Revisit Dr. James Lindsays talk from the Wellington event of his New Zealand tour with the Free Speech Union. Dr. Lindsay shares his thoughts, fears and concerns about the rising treats of “woke” on the right and the communist and socialist undertones driving woeness, cancel culture and various attacks on western liberal democracy.
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Jacob Mchangama is the Founder and Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech, a research professor at Vanderbilt University, and a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). A valued friend of the FSU, he joins Nick in this episode to discuss his recent global survey on the state of free speech.
Learn more about Jacob’s work at futurefreespeech.org
The Global Survey can be found here: futurefreespeech.org/who-supports-free-speech-findings-from-a-global-survey
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In this episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, Nathan and Nick discuss free speech challenges. They unpack media coverage, police conduct around protest, and the role of churches in protests, while calling for balanced law enforcement and peaceful discourse amid rising tensions.
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‘Hate crime’ laws? Without a clear, shared definition of ‘hate,’ we’re treading on shaky ground. Who decides what’s ‘hateful’?
Tell the Law Commission that legislating against ‘hate’ is a fool’s errand.
Submit now - https://www.freespeechsubmission.nz/
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Nathan, Jonathan, Nick, Steph look back on a big year of wins, challenges, and everything in between. From legal battles to media advocacy and educational tours, they share highlights, lessons, and hopes for 2025. A huge thanks to the community that makes it all possible!
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Join Nick Hanne, Jillian Heather, and Alex Penk for an FSU Talk on the recent Law Commission's discussion paper which examined the question of amending the Human Rights Act to include trans gender and intersex individuals as a protected class. These potential changes have significant implications for free speech and the weaponisation of a subjective definition of identity and also harm.
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In this episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, Jonathan Ayling is joined by Simon O'Connor, former MP for Tamaki, and Nick Hanne, education partnership manager at FSU. The discussion revolves around a controversial letter signed by 400 church leaders denouncing the Act Party's Treaty Principles Bill. The episode delves into themes of free speech, democracy, and the historical and contemporary role of the church in public discourse. The conversation explores differing views on whether the push to stop the bill from going to select committee stifles public debate and the broader implications for free speech in New Zealand.
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In this episode Jonathan sits down with Major Grant Fletcher, a barrister based in Christchurch, and Graham Edgler, lawyer and political and legal. They delve into the pressing issue of new hate training for police officers, the implications of hate speech and hate crime laws in New Zealand, and how these affect free speech. Tune in for a stimulating discussion on the balance between regulation and freedom, and the societal implications of these contentious issues.
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Join Nathan, Jonathan, and Hannah for this episode for the Free Speech Union podcast to dive into the pressing issues surrounding free speech in New Zealand, focusing on the implications of recent police training on hate crimes, the role of the Law Commission, and the influence of unelected officials. Jonathan and Hannah provide insightful commentary and updates on ongoing efforts to protect free speech rights in the face of growing challenges.
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Join us for a thought-provoking episode of the Free Speech Union Podcast. Hosted by Jonathan (FSU NZ CEO), this episode features a deep dive into the essence of free speech, democracy, and societal values with Professor Mike Grimshaw from the University of Canterbury. Explore the historical and philosophical underpinnings of free speech, the challenges posed by modern societal shifts, and the crucial role of civil liberties. Whether you're a seasoned thinker or new to these concepts, this engaging discussion promises to offer new perspectives on free speech and its importance in contemporary society.
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Join Nick Hanne (Education Partnerships Manager) as he sits down with Dr. Paul Crowhurst to talk about tertiary education, white fragility, and the concept of unteaching racism. Dr. Crowhurst unpacks his experiences as a teacher, principal, and lecturer, and discusses the series of events leading to his encounter with cancel culture.
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Nathan Seiuli (Events & Outreach Manager) & Nick Hanne (Education Partnerships Manager) talk about free speech in schools, the FSU’s “Speak Up” schools program, and how the current free speech climate is affecting teachers.
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Join Jonathan Ayling as he welcomes Dr. Gavin Ellis, a media consultant, researcher, and former editor-in-chief of the New Zealand Herald. With a PhD in Political Studies and a rich background in journalism and communications, Dr. Ellis offers insights into the current media landscape in New Zealand and shares his hopes for its future growth, change, and improvement.
For more information about Dr Ellis
https://knightlyviews.com/
For more information about the Free Speech Union
https://www.fsu.nz/
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Listen to Jonathan Rauch’s talk, “Why Free Speech is the Only Safe Space for Minorities,” which he delivered to our audience in Christchurch. It is a powerful talk about the dire need for free speech in the fight for equality.
“Minorities are always better off in a society that protects hate speech than in a society that protects us from hate speech.” - Jonathan Rauch
For more information about Jonathan, https://www.brookings.edu/people/jonathan-rauch/
For more information about the Free Speech Union, www.fsu.nz
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Eric Heinze is Professor of Law and Humanities at the School of Law Queen Mary, University of London. He is also the author of “The Most Human Right: Why Free Speech is Everything”. Eric joins Jonathan Ayling for a discussion on free speech, academic freedom and democracy.
You can purchase Eric’s book here https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262547244/
For more info in FSU NZ hear to www.fsu.nz
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Former Judge Dr. David Harvey and Netsafe CEO Brent Carey discuss the DIA's abandoned proposal for online censorship.
The Free Speech Union celebrates the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. It is increasingly clear Kiwis have no interest in our would-be-censors’ obsession with trying to control what they say. The DIA’s proposals for online content and media regulation set themselves up to effectively be hate speech laws for the internet and press, created by an unelected, unaccountable ‘regulator’ without the legislative scrutiny that Parliament normally provides. It is a worst-case scenario for free speech.
Bravo, free speech champions of New Zealand
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As a result of lobbying and threats of protest and boycott, Victoria University has postponed the panel discussion that was set to be hosted on 29 April. Jonathan Ayling and Dr. Michael Johnson, from the New Zealand Initiative, were two of the panellists in this discussion; it seems that their presence was the reason for the delay.
Jonathan and Michael discuss the implications of this fragility in our institutions of higher learning, and what the inability to free (and think) freely means for our next generation of 'scholars'.
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Hear from Josie Pagani, Paul Moon, Marcus Roberts, and Jonathan Ayling on a panel discussion and Q+A on speech rights and the ability to pursue tolerant debate on conflict in the Middle East. This discussion is about our ability to deal with complex and competing ideas, not the substance of the conflict itself.
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Paul Thistoll is a dedicated trans-rights activist and outspoken opponent of the Free Speech Union. But he was willing to sit down with Jonathan Ayling, the Chief Executive of the Union, to discuss hate speech, trans-rights, preferred pronouns, professional deregistration, and more.
There are two very different views on free speech on display in this podcast. So rarely do we have the opportunity to hear two so very different perspectives engage respectfully. And in the end, it's you who gets to decide which view is right.
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More than any other one thing, COVID-19 has defined our past 3 years. But are we starting to thinking about it, or talk about it in fresh ways?
Our lives have been impacted in unprecedented ways by COVID-19; but this virus has also been weaponised by our would-be-censors to corral us into one position on this issue, and a host of others.
In this episode, Jonathan Ayling sits down with the director of River of Freedom, a recently released documentary film on the 2022 occupation of Parliament.
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Speaking to the recently published Addressing the Challenges to Social Cohesion, Sir Peter Gluckman (former Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and Director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures) sits down with Jonathan Ayling to discuss what's happening to fraying public discourse, and what we can do to address it.
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Free speech across our universities is under fire- but many academics are also working to address this. After 3 years, a working group established at the University of Auckland to consider how to preserve academic freedom and free speech has reported back, making a bold stand in a hostile environment. Free Speech Union member and UoA Professor, Kendle Clements, sits down with Jonathan to give an insider's view to why free speech is under fire, and what needs to be done about it.
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"Most important thinking I've written", this is how Prof. Grimes describes his recent research on who benefits from free speech. Spoiler alert- it's not who you might think.
We're often told that the marginalised, oppressed and poor need protection from free speech, probably provided by the State, to ensure that free speech doesn't oppress them. But in reality, free speech enables the powerless to undermine the powerful by insisting that ideas and speech should be challenged with dialogue and reason, not force.
Jonathan Ayling and Adam Young from the Free Speech Union sit down with Prof. Arther Grimes to consider this important research, and look at why it is the poorer in society, the uneducated, and the vulnerable who benefit from the radical idea that even they should be free to speak.
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Academic freedom and free speech can appear to be nebulous subjects at times, which wonky intellectuals pontificate on. Yet the real world implications for a university that fails to preserve academic freedom are far-reaching. In this episode, Jonathan Ayling sits down with Dr. James Kierstead and Dr. Michael Johnston to discuss the opposition we’ve faced to our academic freedom research, why certain arguments have been made, and what this tells us about the debate for free thought and belief in general. Let’s just say, the stakes are fairly high for all of us.
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With the Free Speech Unions Academic Survey for 2023 now released and raising concerns Jonathan Ayling sat down with Prof Elizabeth Rata (a co-author of the "Listener 7" letter) and Dr. David Bromell (formerly of Canterbury University) to discuss the state of academic freedom in today's New Zealand. The trio explores the increasingly doctrinaire approach turning up in fields where truth has traditionally never been considered settled, and why this intellectual inflexibility seems to be ramping up post covid with many Universities currently in financial straits.
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Jonatha sits does with Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio to discuss the FSU announcement that we are supporting a tender-bid for a DPMC contract to research disinformation.
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Free Speech Union Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling sat down with Prof. Grant Schofield who recently authored a 'A falling out of love letter to the university'- which reflects on his over 30 years in academia. Prof. Schofield questions whether the contemporary New Zealand university can any longer claim to be the 'conscious and critic of society' and in an in-depth discussion, comments on the health of free speech within our universities, the problem of self-censorship (especially among young academics), whether withholding funds to anti-free speech universities would work, and how a refusal to debate important issues affects society. This episode is a good warm-up for the release of the Free Speech Union's 2023 academic survey next week so get swatting! https://profgrant.com/2023/04/24/a-falling-out-of-love-letter-to-the-university-we-need-to-talk/
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Join Free Speech Union Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling, FSU council member Stephen Franks and Left-wing commentator Josie Pagani and Connor Molloy for a debrief on former ACLU president Nadine Strossen's recent tour of Aotearoa. The team discuss some of the high-profile members Strossen attended, why rationalism wins the argument, and what lessons we should take from her into our ongoing free speech battles. It's then a gearshift to discuss the disturbing 'Disinformation Project' report released in the wake of the Posie Parker visit in which the shadowy group warns of an imminent genocide against the trans community... with zero evidence? What is the best strategy for tackling such bad-faith actors? All this and more in another fascinating podcast episode. Enjoy! fsu.nz
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"For me this is the recognition of the linking of free speech with the right for civil disobedience because the public square is never cool and rational and only ‘discursive’ – except when constrained and imposed to be so by the privileging and power of ‘the rational’."
This provocative paragraph was written by Canterbury-based sociologist and former Free Speech Union podcast guest Mike Grimshaw. In the original piece, published on plainsight.nz, Mike defended some of the civil disobedience from the counter-protesters witnessed at the aborted Posie Parker appearance at Albert Park. Free Speech Union council member Dr David Cumin chews over some of the challenging arguments with Mike in a deep dive that covers some of the contradictions of free speech and examines the role of Police at Albert Park - and what role they should play in a liberal society fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union council member Dane Giraud speaks with journalist and now filmmaker Samantha Blanchard about her new documentary "Silenced" which was released online over Easter weekend. "Silenced" looks at censorship during the pandemic and features the story of Peter Williams who walked away from a job at Magic Talk after being given directives not to challenge the government narrative. A thought-provoking and challenging film Samantha discusses the making of the documentary and shares her experiences working as a journalist along with why the media are failing to earn the trust of the public today. https://www.silenced.co.nz/
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Gender-critical speaker Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull's 'Let Woman Speak' tour of New Zealand ended before it began: due to violence. A feral mob assaulted her and women were viciously assaulted including a 72-year-old woman who was left with a fractured skull. This followed failed attempts by fringe LGBTQI+ voices to deny KJK entry to New Zealand. Will Albert Park be the new normal? Free Speech Union spokespersons Dane Giraud and Ani O'Brien discuss the day (Ani was present) and its potential ramifications https://www.fsu.nz/public_letter_to_police_minister
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Free Speech Union council member Dane Giraud speaks to Corina Shields (@AuntyHeihei on Twitter), a wahine Maori who took her opinions and concerns with government policy to TikTok after being denied the ear of MPs.
Dane and Corina discuss distrust and why governments need to work much harder to win back the poor - the failure of the media to cover lower-socio-economic issues, and why the Maori Party is so unpopular with Maori. Enjoy!
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Free Speech Union council members Ani O'Brien and Dane Giraud discuss the union's defending of Drag Queen story time along with Tusiata Avia's controversial poem. Enjoy! https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/131393894/the-free-speech-door-swings-both-ways
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Josephine Varghese is a political analyst and researcher with the Democracy Project at Victoria University of Wellington. In today's episode, Josephine and Free Speech Union council member Dane Giraud discuss Left-wing perspectives on free speech, whether a Leftist should view free speech as a central right, and anti-colonisation thought both as expressed in the controversial poem by Tuisata Avia along with a Left-wing critique. A great in-depth discussion on classic Left-wing thought and where it is often at odds with many of those calling themselves Left today https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/last-words-screening-tour-1718439
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to James Kierstead, a Senior Lecturer in Classics at Victoria University of Wellington and Research Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. James (who should be no stranger to Free Speech Union supporters) gives his summary of the failed hate speech laws before the boys discuss the need for generosity towards your ideological opponents, the woke re-editing of Roald Dahl's books, and the general issue with translations and tampering with texts. Another great conversation with a top mind. Enjoy!
There's still time to see the Free Speech Union's debut film "Last Words" https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/last-words-screening-tour-1718439
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In a fascinating discussion that covers an amazing amount of ground, Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to Sociologist Mike Grimshaw of the University of Canterbury. Mike discusses the open society that relies on free speech to function versus the retreat into identity groups censorship encourages. The boys talk through tagging and street art as a means of expression for the underclass and why council-sponsored art may be a calculated way to silence these voices. And Mike unpacks the concept of the radical loser - the disenchanted male who is likely to view censorship as a provocation to action. This is surely a packed episode with a banquet hall brimming with food for thought. Enjoy. And don't forget that the Free Speech Union's debut film "Last Words" is about to go on a nationwide cinema tour. Have you got your ticket yet? If not book today!
Tickets are available by following the link below.
https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/last-words-screening-tour-1718439?fbclid=IwAR0c51Clm5der-BC98I1fIdovB7gIcIeWG7yBwDIg6Fv_SYzfRbENd5of9c
Thursday 16th February (PREMIERE):, 7 pm at The Penthouse Cinema, Wellington
Saturday 18th February: 2 pm at Lumiere Cinema, Riccarton, Christchurch
Saturday 18th February: 6 pm at the Regent Cinema, Ashburton
Sunday 19th February: 1 pm at Movie Max Cinema, Timaru
Sunday 19th February: 6 pm at Rialto Cinema, Dunedin
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Free Speech Union council member Dane Giraud speaks with Ashley Church - a prominent media commentator on politics and property - about the religious impulse driving the "woke doctrine" and the challenges it poses for traditional text-based Christians like Ashley. The boys also touch on the pros and cons of progressive congregations in a wide-ranging discussion on today's competing belief systems fsu.nz
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Climate change dominates tense debate around the world. Some aren't satisfied with just words however and are taking dramatic protest actions like blocking motorways and gluing their hands to roads to demand the attention they believe this crisis demands.
In this podcast, Jonathan Ayling sits with Simeon Brown MP to discuss his proposed Bill to increase the penalty for those who protest by disrupting key infrastructure. He is also joined by climate change activist James Cockle - himself no stranger to controversial protest - to discuss the limits of free speech, and whether disruption is a winning strategy to persuade kiwis to consume less.
Enjoy a great debate! And don't forget to share this podcast fsu.nz/join
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In today's special episode, Free Speech Union board members Dane Giraud and Ani O'Brien discuss the emerging narrative that now-former Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern resigned due to online abuse. Were the levels of abuse she faced unprecedented and have they been contributive to increased polarisation? Or is this a cynical attempt to limit criticism through censorship? fsu.nz/join
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We kick off the year with a very special episode: New Zealand Free Speech Union Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling in discussion with his UK and South African counterparts Toby Young and Sara Gon respectively. This inaugural meeting offers a chance to reflect on the global fight for free speech and to learn about the unique cultural challenges each union faces in 2023 and beyond.
You can look forward to an assortment of invigorating and thought-provoking guests on the 2023 NZ Free Speech Union podcast as we steam into an election year determined to leave everything on the canvas! Enjoy! And don't forget to share the free speech message - and all our wonderful content - with friends and family fsu.nz/join
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Tune in for this special end-of-year discussion with guests Karl du Fresne, Prof Natasha Hamilton-Hart, and Alex Penk for a 'stock take' of the work the Free Speech Union has done in 2022. Will our guests give us a pass mark? Enjoy! fsu.nz
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The Free Speech Union's Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling sat down with Paul Goldsmith MP, National's Justice Spokesperson, Prof. Paul Moon, a prominent historian from AUT, Dr. Michael Johnson from the New Zealand Initiative, and Prof. Ananish Chaudhuri, an economist from Auckland University at the recent Free Speech Union AGM to discuss the importance of fostering a culture of free speech. The panel started by noting the differences in the relatively strong legal defense to free speech which Kiwis still enjoy, which is at odds with the current recession of free speech culturally. Enjoy! fsu.nz/join
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The Free Speech Union celebrated a victory with Justice Minister Kiri Allen announcing the government would be dropping proposed hate speech laws. But the single inclusion of religion means we still have a fight on our hands. Could it really soon become harder to criticise religion? In a thoughtful and far-ranging discussion, Dr. Michael Johnson (NZ Initiative) and Marcus Roberts (Maxim Institute) wrestle with this possibility along with examining the concept of "settled science" and whether the horrors of totalitarianism becoming a distant memory is behind a new generation taking their freedoms for granted. fsu.net/join
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Free Speech Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling sat down with respected journalists Janet Wilson and Yvonne van Dongen to discuss the health of the New Zealand media in regard to fostering free and open debate. Are we seeing a new bias? Is ideology polluting journalism and undermining public trust? What role or responsibility does a journalist have in combatting mis or disinformation? And are the majority of contemporary journalists even trying to speak to the masses, or is their audience themselves (their own class)? A fascinating, bold, and revealing discussion on free speech and the press in New Zealand from two of our most experienced journalists. Enjoy! fsu.net/join
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore and council member Dane Giraud discuss the Curia poll featured in a Herald recent piece from Left-wing commentator Bryce Edwards that found lower-socio-economic communities stood against the government's Hate Speech laws. Why is this? Weren't such laws supposedly sought by vulnerable, multicultural communities? Dane and Daphna (both South Aucklanders) discuss the myriad reasons why the working class has always rejected state censorship, and the team recaps their thoughts on the recent Free Speech Union AGM. The link to Bryce's piece is below...
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/bryce-edwards-why-labour-government-capitulated-on-hate-speech-laws/RGKOXGGXGBA5NN7QYGIK4SMWDU/
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore speaks with Dr. Forough Amin about what’s happening in Iran after two months of growing protests across the country. Forough is a women's rights activist and the founder of the Iranian Women in NZ Charitable Trust. Forough discusses the dire state of civil rights in Iran, the rigid power of the regime, the important role women and youth are playing in the protests, and reveals the origin of the slogan "Women, Life, Freedom". https://www.facebook.com/IWIN.Charity/
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In an unexpected (but welcomed!) development, Minister of Justice Kiri Allan announced this morning that proposed hate speech laws will be all but dropped. Gone is the threat of 3-year prison terms. In fact, the sole change will be the addition of religious beliefs under a new amendment to the Human Rights Act.
Free Speech Union board members Jonathan Ayling and Stephen Franks are joined by Left-wing political analyst Bryce Edwards and representative of the New Zealand Jewish council Juliet Moses, to discuss the dramatic reversal along with the Free Speech Union's influence on the decision, and why conceding on religious belief could have devastating consequences for free speech moving forward fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks with Daniel Ben-Ami, an author, and journalist based in London. His website "The Radicalism of Fools" https://www.radicalismoffools.com/ aims to develop a better understanding of anti-Semitism and its root causes. Daniel talks about different forms of anti-Semitism from the right and the left. He explains why definitions of anti-Semitism should not be imposed through initiatives like the IHRA definition of antisemitism and why censorship is not an answer to the anti-Israel BDS boycott movement. This fascinating discussion covers much more including whether deplatforming Nazis works and how censorship risks letting bad ideas go unchallenged fsu.nz/ join
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Following the shock announcement this morning (Sunday 30th) by Justice Minister Kiri Allen that hate speech laws are back and may be in place before next year's election, Jonathan Ayling sits down with Free Speech Union Council members Dr. Roderick Mulgan and Ani O’Brien, along with ACT Party Leader David Seymour to unpack what this means for the fight for free speech. Given the negative reaction to the proposals last year, what makes Minister Allan think Kiwis will accept them this time around? Will the short window provided ahead of next year's election be used to ram the laws through without proper scrutiny? And why does National leader Christopher Luxon want nothing to do with this topic? These are some of the questions addressed as the Free Speech Union gears up to oppose this legislation.
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In today's episode of our LOL series, Free Speech Union spokespeople Dane Giraud and Dr. David Cumin discuss the Young Greens of UoA (University Of Auckland) decision to boycott the "Baby Back Benches" debate until a set of specific demands are met. Dane and David pull apart the 7 demands that - while reading like self-parody - cloak a sinister attitude towards both freedom of expression and the very minority groups the Greens claim that their demands protect. fsu.nz/join
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Jonathan Ayling, Ani O'Brien, and Dane Giraud are our first panel in the reboot of our LOL (Life Out Loud) podcast series. The team pull-apart local body elections and ask whether a low voter turnout can be put down to the multiple campaigns seeking to limit acceptable debate - we get a preview of the upcoming Free Speech Union AGM featuring Danish free speech superstar Jacob MChangama (which includes a special announcement) - and finally the Prime Ministers controversial "weapons of war" speech delivered at the UN - what it means, and why we should all be very afraid fsu.net/join
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks with Mark White from the US Left-wing free speech organisation Plebity (https://www.plebity.org/). Mark and Daphna discuss how the Left of the past was at the forefront of defending free speech, why that is no longer the case and why the Left shouldn't bet their money on tech billionaires like Elon Musk to be their free speech savior.
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In something of a ‘student takeover’ of the Free Speech Union Podcast, university students Adam, Tommy, and Robbie talk about free speech from the student perspective. Tomas shares his experience of the recent Free Speech Union event at Otago University and the discussion gets philosophical as the three discuss the seemingly partisan nature of the modern free speech context, alongside why it is so important for the students and activists of today, and why it may be that the importance of free speech is not quite as recognised among the modern left as it once was.
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Ani O'Brien reads Auckland Mayoral Candidate Craig Lord the council's rap sheet and asks what he would do differently should he win the coveted top job www.fsu.nz/join
https://www.fsu.nz/council_candidates_report
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In this week's podcast episode Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to David Gregory, co-owner of Severin Films, an American film production and distribution company known for restoring and releasing cult films on DVD and Blu-ray. A Brit by birth David deep dives into the history of the Video Nasties (the explosion of low-budget horror or exploitation films at the birth of the home-video era) and the censorship regime in the UK that was set up to counter them. This office was incredibly oppressive compared to their Western counterparts including our own which lifted a ban on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1984 whereas the UK only made the film permissible in 1998! This office even sent a distributor to prison for screening an edit 17 seconds longer than the approved cut. David schools Dane on the fascinating history of British censorship, their use of highly questionable research, the clear classist attitude that underlined the office, and how - rather than stopping people from seeing these films - this censorship led to a huge underground network of film markets and conventions. David also talks about his rewarding work today through Severin Films tracking down lost footage from films that have suffered the censor's blade. An episode chock-full of fascinating history is an unmissable addition to the Free Speech Union podcast. Enjoy!
https://severinfilms.com/
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Welcome to the first of a short series on speech rights in different countries. This week's podcast looks at free speech and civil rights in India, the world’s most populous democracy. In July Nobel prizewinning novelist Arundhati Roy wrote that India’s flawed fragile democracy is a "criminal, Hindu-fascist enterprise that has imprisoned many of her friends" after they spoke up for the oppressed.
Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore interviewed Kobad Ghandy about the state of free speech and democracy in India. He was a political prisoner for ten years under both Congress and BJP regimes and was just released in Oct 2019. He has written a book called Fractured Freedom – the book has been translated into six Indian languages, - and last month he published several in-depth essays on the state of the India's fragile democracy, 75 years after independence.
Daphna asks Kobad if a form of Hindu fascism that is impacting speech rights and other freedoms in India today. Ghandy agrees but the real question he contends is where did it come from and why is it tolerated?
What followings is a fascinating discussion, along with a crash course in the history of a complex country that may now be teetering on the edge under new strong-man rule. Enjoy www.fsu.nz/join
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What does a major Mayoral candidate think of codes of conduct? Is there wide support within councils for limiting who can speak in public venues? Where do councilors draw the line between speech they consider free and beyond the pale? And is their input even warranted? On this week's roundtable discussion between a collection of incredibly diverse candidates - Wellington Mayor candidate and Green supporter Tory Whanau, 4x term councilor of Christchurch's Fendalton ward James Gough and Dr. Ate Moala, a candidate standing for Paekawakawa/Southern General Ward - answer these questions and discuss free speech more generally in an at times combative but richly informative episode. Enjoy www.fsu.nz/join
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In this week's episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, Ani O'Brien interviews our very own Dane Giraud - a screenwriter and experienced documentary maker - on the NZ On Air funding process that produced the recent controversial documentary on the parliamentary protests made by Stuff Circuit -"Fire And Fury". Is the NZ On Air public journalism fund compromising our media? Or is the simple truth that the wider public is in the dark on how the funding process works in New Zealand? Dane thinks the latter and makes his case as well as offering his own solution to any perceived political bias in our media. www.fsu.net/join
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore speaks with award-winning journalist and current Executive Director of the Maxim Institute Tim Wilson on a recent think-piece Tim wrote on abortion and the seeming prohibition against men expressing views on the topic. Join us for thoughtful exploration as to whether identity should ever preclude a person from contributing to a topic - a position many in society do appear to subscribe to today www.fsu.nz/join
And read Tim's piece by clicking the link below:
https://www.maxim.org.nz/article/no-womb-no-view-abortion/
https://www.maxim.org.nz/
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Join us for a recording of the Wednesday 17 August Otago University panel discussion chaired by Peter Williams on how to maintain responsible politics through free speech ft. local list MP Michael Woodhouse, ACT MP Dr. James McDowall, and local Councillor Lee Vandervis www.fsu.nz/join
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Censorship often ends up harming those it seeks to protect. This is sadly becoming a near unchallengeable fact when regarding gender treatment, where a contempt for any criticism or position outside of the sanctioned view has resulted in patient harm and the subsequent closure of a high-profile clinic, along with many European countries reversing their policies in this space. In a thought-provoking episode, Free Speech Union spokesman Dane Giraud speaks to Suzanne Levy, one of Speak Up For Women's new spokeswomen, about her organization's fresh focus post the passing of the Birth, Deaths, and Marriages Bill. Dane and Suzanne also discuss how health systems were compromised through censorship, the current correction taking place, and why we in New Zealand are likely to lag behind.
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The saga of the Listener 7 academics and their questioning about mātauranga Māori in science continues. In this episode, Free Speech Union Cheif Executive Jonathan Ayling sits down with distinguished Professor Kit Fine, a British philosopher from New York University, who complained to the Royal Society regarding their conduct during the investigation of Professors Robert Nola and Gareth Cooper and called for an investigation of the society itself. Unsurprisingly, the Royal Society was uninterested in examining itself. But Fine still believes that the Royal Society must answer for its bullying, or academics won't feel free to speak on important questions. Jonathan and Prof Fine unpack how institutions like the Royal Society are undermining free speech, and the long-term impacts this is bound to have on academia.
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In this episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling sits down with Grant Gilford, the former Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington.
Jonathan and Grant discuss the First Annual Survey on Academic Freedom conducted earlier this year which highlighted the lack of freedom many lecturers have in their own universities and Grant offers his own thoughts on where our universities are getting it right and areas of concern.
Also explored are the implications of allowing offense to rule over reason, some of the unexpected groups that put pressure on universities, and why it is so challenging to develop new knowledge if we can't ask provocative questions. www.fsu.nz/join
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Did you receive our annual review? It's been an epic 12 months for the Free Speech Union! Join Jonathan Ayling - who sat down with supporters National MP Simon O'Connor, Unionist Matt McCartern, and Barrister Hanne Janes - to recap our year, discuss the ongoing fight for free speech, and why you - and good 'ole people-power - MADE OUR YEAR and remain the most vital element in the preservation of this crucial freedom www.fsu.net/join
You can check out the annual review here: https://assets.nationbuilder.com/.../FSU_AnnualReport-2...
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud sat with Palmerston North City Councilor Orphee Mikalad to discuss the importance of free speech and alternatives to hate speech. Orphee details his family's fleeing civil war in the Congo and what it was like to campaign for a seat on the council as an African refugee. Orphee discusses the racism he has encountered, why education and engagement are a far better solution than state censorship, the benefit of grassroots rather than top-down anti-racism campaigns, and Dane and Orphee discuss some of the unexpected reactions they have had to bigotry www.fsu.nz/join
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Family First chief executive Bob McCoskrie sits down with the Free Speech Union's Jonathan Ayling to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision that saw his organisation lose any right to appeal a decision that stripped them of their charity title. Bob and Jonathan dissect and challenge many aspects of the ruling, such as the assertion made by the Supreme Court that Family First's purpose "crossed the line between education and advocacy" and ask why groups such as Greenpeace haven't been subject to the same treatment. Finally Bob discusses the impact of the Supreme Court decision on the Free Speech of religious and indeed all New Zealanders and whether there is any weight to a claim that this whole exercise has been about the state silencing those with more traditionalist values www.fsu.nz/join
You can find Family First @ https://familyfirst.org.nz/
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore speaks with Dr. Bryce Edwards about the causes and manifestations of contemporary political polarisation. Edwards, a well-known political scientist, lecturer in Politics at Victoria University, and long-time supporter of free speech, copped a lot of flak for his coverage of the parliamentary protests which highlighted the depth of division today. How did we get to this place? And what will bring us out of it? www.fsu.nz/join
Check out Dr. Edward's work on [https://democracyproject.nz/]
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On this week's episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, spokesperson Dane Giraud has a long-form discussion with social activist and lifetime 'Black Power' member Denis O'Reilly. Denis talks us through what led him to join the 'Black Power' and who the majority of members were in those early years. Denis discusses Prime Minister Rob Muldoon and why Muldoon's controversial coziness with gangs was a winner for society. And Dane and Denis explore the National Party's proposed policy to ban insignia and why this already-tried policy has no chance of dealing with any 'gang problem'. A chocka interview full of history and plenty to think about. Enjoy! https://www.fsu.nz/public_letter_on_bethlehem_college
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Join us for the audio-only version of our fantastic live discussion (recorded on Facebook 21st June) with Free Speech Union Council members Dr. David Cumin, Dr. Melissa Derby, and Ani O'Brien to unpack the concerns related to the recent uproar over Bethlehem College asking parents to acknowledge (but not nessacarily to agree with) the school's position of marriage being between a man and a woman. We discuss why the Free Speech Union getting involved was so important, the increasing demand for orthodoxy by the illiberal Left, and what practical paths we can take to defend religious speech and counter polarisation. Don't forget to sign our letter https://www.fsu.nz/public_letter_on_bethlehem_college
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling speaks to ACT MP Dr. James McDowall about the voting down - at first reading - of his "Education (Freedom of Expression) Amendment Bill". The Bill was designed to ensure there were consequences for universities that actively inhibited free of expression without legitimate cause. But the government didn't even want to debate the issue. What does the failure of the Bill to pass even a first reading say about how the government and their coalition partner view New Zealander's speech rights? A lot. And none of it is good! Dr. McDowall talks us through the revealing speeches given by Labour and Green supporters in opposition to his Bill and what the next steps to protect free speech on our campuses may be. fsu.nz/join
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In this week's episode of the podcast Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore speaks to Nina Power - an English social critic, philosopher, and author of the new book “What Do Men Want”.
Nina was previously a senior lecturer in Philosophy at Roehampton University in Britain. She writes for Telegraph, Art Review, and The Spectator and is now editing a new publication Compact Magazine.
Nina talks about her new book, the importance of solidarity between the sexes, and why it is sparking controversy even in New Zealand (a recent review of it in The Listener led to a woke Twitter meltdown). She also recounts her experience of being canceled in New Zealand in 2020, after writing an essay to accompany a completely benign art exhibition of flags on postcards.
Other topics covered are some of the grey areas around free speech i.e. Should flag burning/desecration be covered? Should porn be protected? A thoughtful discussion with a fantastic critical mind. Enjoy! www.fsu.nz/join
Twitter @Nina_Compact
Compact Magazine http://compactmag.com
http://ninapower.substack.com
http://ninapower.net
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks with former NZ Green Party chief of staff and Wellington Mayoral candidate in 2022 Tory Whanau. Tory discusses her fascinating (and enviable!) journey that led her to a dream job in communications and eventually to the role of chief of staff with the Green Party. Tory offers insight into how the Greens and wider contemporary Left view hate speech laws and discusses her own desire for education over heavy-handed restrictions. Tory also fronts on the important public spaces issue - the issue that has kept the Free Speech Union most busy since our inception - and we are given a sense of what to expect in this space should Tory become mayor in October. You may be pleasantly surprised! www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to former Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox about the Māori presence at the recent parliamentary protests. Marama (who would be briefly trespassed by Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard) spent a number of days on the ground and offers a detailed account of the Māori presence at the protest - who they were, why they were there - and what turned an initially positive and legitimate protest sour.
Marama discusses her opposition to mandates and the controlling impulses of the current government before discussing whether te reo Māori (the Māori language) - as the indigenous language of New Zealand - is a free speech issue, and how getting future generations to speak the language could hold the key to better race relations. Enjoy! www.fsu.nz/join
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Michelle Uriarau is a founding member of Mana Wāhine Kōrero - an advocacy group of and for Māori women who took strong positions against the 'Self ID' and 'Conversion Practises Bills. One of the roadblocks to getting their message out there has been the misrepresentation of Tikanga Māori (Māori Culture) which activists have used to justify gender non-conformity - despite there being absolutely no evidence that pre-colonial Māori accepted a fluid definition of gender. Michelle talks to Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud about who is spreading these mistruths and why - the silencing of Māori women generally - and how the current government is drastically undermining the submissions process www.fsu.nz/join
Twitter: @MKorero
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTBLB0CizsFTu-oLb_Onq0g
https://gettr.com/user/manawahinetalk?fbclid=IwAR2q__tF7TnVtvUNc0p2P5QWMetWcCUjaRRV35w6PQJBR09tpcatXsbp0Kc
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Get ready for some hardcore history as Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks to political commentator par excellence Chris Trotter about the conditions that gave rise to Nazism. Despite Hitler taking power after being banned from public speaking - and the Nazi party itself being outlawed for two years - many today see censorship as vital in the fight against the Far-Right. But are they ignoring the social conditions of post-WW1 Germany? And are our would-be censors running the same risk by ignoring the social conditions that are leading to alienation today? Chris sets the scene simply and clearly in what a challenging and informative episode. https://www.fsu.nz/mallard_must_go
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Join us for the audio version of Karl du Fresne's brilliant lecture 'Threats to Free Speech' including the full Q & A, which was held at Victoria University on Thursday 28th April https://www.fsu.nz/mallard_must_go
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Dane Giraud and fellow Free Speech Union steering group member Ani O'Brien continue a discussion on the fallout from the cancelation of a Free Speech Union talk at AUT, focusing on the role an "Inclusion Manager' may have played in the cancelation. Common on many campuses now, these rather ironically named managers seem far more interested in excluding speakers, than welcoming a 'rainbow' of diverse opinions. Why is this so problematic? Because members of the LGBT community who don't agree with the politics of one of these managers are just as likely to be banned as anybody else. Dane and Ani discuss just how the role is impacting negatively on the LGBT community and why organizations are now practicing open discrimination due to their influence. www.fsu.nz/net
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The Free Speech Union has had a speaking event canceled by AUT. In the first public talk in what was to kick off a nationwide lecture series, Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore was to talk about (ironically) her experiences with women's rights group 'Speak Up For Women' and being canceled by a sequence of regional councils. The reason given was we weren't following proper protocol for a union on a worksite, but after our Facebook page was barraged with woke activists telling us they planned to speak to management in order to shut down the event, it is clear what's really gone on here. Coming hot on the heels of our academic survey, management at AUT have really made our case for us. Join Free Speech Union spokespeople Dane Giraud and Jonathan Ayling, along with Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore to talk through the debacle which is sure to develop into another extremely important fight for us. www.fsu.nz/ join
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Don Franks has been involved in Left-wing activism since the 1960s (starting with his opposition to the Vietnam War) and is a published author and professional musician. He was a resident at the Jerusalem commune of James K. Baxter and was involved in union activity at a major car plant. In this episode, Don talks to Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud about the centrality of Free Speech to the union movement of yesteryear, Marx on 'Free Speech" and why speech restrictions are never called for from those on the lowest rung. Don discusses James K. Baxter as he knew him, why he thinks you should all read Jane Austen, and what makes Shakespeare the preeminent "free speech" author. Enjoy! www.fsu.nz/join
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A worrying trend of rejecting political adverts brought the attention of the Free Speech Union to the decision-making process of NZME. Having discovered that a large percentage of shareholders back this bedrock democratic principle we sought to support them at the annual AGM where free speech was made an agenda item. But the board had a strategy to get around this and in this 'Special Report' episode of the 'Free Speech Union' podcast, you will hear just how shareholders were silenced by a board that puts ideologically motivated censorship well above any concerns of shareholders.
Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling attended the virtual AGM and reports back on what happened and why this is fast developing into a grave situation for the integrity of our media and Free Speech more widely in New Zealand.
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This week on our Life Out Loud (LOL) summary of a week in Free Speech in New Zealand (inspired by our newsletter), Free Speech Union spokespersons Jonathan Ayling and Ani O'Brien touch on two recent hit-jobs mounted against the Free Speech Union.
In NBR a piece was written by a writer (who really should've known better) that spun off into such fantasy about the Union that J.R.R Tolkien would blush. And don't be fooled but the English high-breeding and plum in the mouth! The Human Rights Commission Chief Commissioner showed he's a stone-cold killer when he intervened to stop an interview between the Free Speech Union and Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon.
All this and we take a hard look at the latest buzzword aimed at undermining rights: "misinformation". And the team discusses the results of our recent academic survey and the pressure now being applied to the Royal Society of NZ post their treatment of the authors of the 'Listener Letter.'
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling speaks to friend of the Free Speech Union - National MP for Tamaki - Simon O'Conner. In a packed, thoughtful, and thought-provoking discussion, Simon discusses the government's mind-blowing decision to block a briefing from Police Commissioner Andrew Coster on the parliamentary protest, what is really behind the current cries of 'misinformation', whether Russian propaganda has a place in the free speech society, the bullying nature of many anti-speech activists, and what National would do to ensure free speech if they were to take the reins again after the next general election. Enjoy! www.fsu.nz/join
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In this 'Special Report' Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore talks to previous podcast guest Rachel Stewart about cancel culture and self-censorship following her removal from a documentary on the New Zealand dairy industry over her views on a number of completely unrelated topics.
Rachel is a staunch defender of free speech. She was a columnist for the Herald and in 2016 won the Canon Media Awards for Opinion Writer of the Year. In 2019 Rachel walked away from the Herald after they refused to publish a column she wrote on Massey University canceling a Canadian feminist speaker. Essentially the Herald canceled Rachel’s piece about a cancellation. Rachel has gained more experience with cancel culture since then.
She has published on Substack a piece "Cows and Cowards" about being removed from the documentary. You can read it at the link below:
https://rachelstewart.substack.com/p/cows-and-cowards?s=r
Here’s her Substack link:
https://rachelstewart.substack.com/
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to comic actor and writer Peter Rowley about working with a man who is still universally considered New Zealand's best comedian - the late Billy T James. Peter would often play the 'straight man' to Billy's gallery of cheeky characters but wrote much of the material with Billy too. So just how troublesome were the censors to Billy and Peter back in the early to mid-'80s? We open a window on New Zealand television history is an often moving discussion, in which Peter gives an intimate account of creating and performing the shows with Billy, and how some of their more famously un-PC jokes came together. Were they setting out to shock? The answer may surprise you! www.fsu.nz/join
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The Kashmir Files is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language drama film based on the exodus of Hindu people during the Kashmir Insurgency in 1990. It has been released in other countries with varying age restrictions. The film was awarded a rating in New Zealand and was set for release until representatives from the FIANZ (Federation of Islamic Associations of NZ) intervened claiming that negative representations of Muslims in the film could translate to real-world harm to their community. Chief Censor David Shanks is now reviewing the classification.
Free Speech supporters will need little convincing that this development is seriously problematic: if the film does end up banned, what's stopping any community from pressuring the Censor's office to do the same with any unflattering or stridently critical documentaries or films? We speak to Kiwi-Indian journalist Roy Kaunds who has led a campaign in support of the film and who lays out or us how this troubling episode all unfolded. Get informed as we plan on speaking with the Cheif Censor on Monday (21st).
NOTE: Roy was in India for this record and the quality of the audio is not great at times. We would urge you to suffer through it, however, as this is extremely important content.
https://www.fsu.nz/rnz_tvnz_merger
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling sits down with National MP for Pakuranga Simeon Brown to discuss Simeon's voting record on a range of controversial Bills (Safe Areas Bill/ Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill). Simeon is candid about the personal cost of taking principled stands in this polarized age and the threat of political polarization more generally and Jonathan and Simeon round off by discussing whether legislation (such as what is being proposed by ACT regarding academic freedoms) may be the key to defeating today's would-be censors. www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud discusses the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr with Dr. Melissa Derby, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Waikato, Tauranga, and good friend of the Free Speech Union. Dr. Derby's admiration for the Rev. King extends back to her childhood, and in 2019, while studying in the USA, Dr. Derby was able to follow the civil rights trail, learning more about Martin Luther King Jr by visiting many landmarks of importance to his career. Though widely celebrated, King is sorely misunderstood and Dr. Derby discusses the centrality of his Christian faith, his commitment to Free Speech, and his approach to activism and his fellow man that put him in stark contrast to the 'woke' movement of today. Enjoy! www.fsu.nz/join
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In this week's episode of our LOL (Life Out Loud) podcast summary of the Free Speech Union newsletter, spokespeople Jonathan Ayling, Dane Giraud, and Ani O'Brien dig deep into the shocking end to the anti-mandate protests. Also, Netsafe confirms they are no friend of Free Speech, 'Plain Speech' Officers look set to make Orwell's fiction a reality, and the call for a ban on protest outside schools proves just how slippery the slope really is www.fsu.nz/join
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The Free Speech Union's Jonathan Ayling sat down with National Party Justice spokesperson Paul Goldsmith, ACT part Justice spokesperson Nicole McKee, and Labour MP and Chair of the Justice Committee Ginny Anderson to discuss the now passed Conversion Practices Prohibition Bill. While Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi has given assurances the new law won't impinge on religious freedoms and free speech rights, many in the Free Speech camp remain unconvinced. So, what does the law, as passed actually say? And should Free Speech advocates - as the Minister suggests - breathe easy?
For anyone wanting to get informed on the details of the controversial Bill, this episode is a must-listen. Get informed and enjoy! www.fsu/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling sits down with the ACT Party's Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden and the National Party's MP for Invercargill Penny Simmonds - both members of the Parliamentary Health Select Committee - to discuss the highly controversial 'Safe Areas' Bill. With protest rights front of mind for many Kiwis right now, the pair discuss their mutual concerns with what 'Safe Areas' could mean for protest more generally in New Zealand moving forward, Penny questions ACT's commitment to freedoms (leading to some entertaining exchanges) and Brooke makes a case as to why ACT's changes to the wording of the Bill should put minds at rest. Remember to sign our current petition mallardmustgo.nz
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Free Speech spokesperson Jonathan Ayling is joined by steering group members Ani O'Brien and Rachel Poulain to discuss our newsletter and pull apart the major stories currently keeping the team at the Free Speech Union busy. On the agenda: A big thank you to Free Speech Union supporters for your overwhelming support of our Netsafe submission, yet more Codes of Conduct concerns, a new petition seeking to remove Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard for threats made to the media, and the troubling devil-in-the-detail of the newly passed Conversion Therapy Bill www.fsu.nz/join
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Former National MP Matt King dropped into the Free Speech Union studios between visits to the Parliament Protest for a far-ranging chat with spokesperson, and friend Ani O'Brien. A staunch opponent of mandates from the very outset, King talks about the mainstream media's wilful misrepresentation of protesters, the role controversial Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard played in inflaming the protest, and why his experiences inside government left him with the impression that our democracy has never been in a more precarious state. A must-listen! www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokespeople Jonathan Ayling, Ani O'Brien, and Dane Giraud examine the (at the time of this recording) ongoing anti-mandate protest or "occupation" of the lawns before Parliament. Ani did one better than any MP we have by engaging with the protesters and reports back to the team kicking off a spirited discussion on the precarious position of protest in New Zealand today. The team crams a lot of good stuff into this episode which looks at free speech as applied to the controversial anti-mandate crowd from a broad range of positions www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Ani O'Brien may be on the other side of the argument from Pro-Life campaigner Kate Cormack (President of "Voice For Life") but Free Speech and holding on to our Right to peacefully protest is where they find plenty of common ground. In this week's episode, Kate discusses the impact of the proposed 'Safe Areas' Bill (which is about to have its 2nd reading) on her group's activism, the fraught process of making submissions, and why the Pro-Life movement could be the canary in the coalmine for the suppression of more protest movements. www.fsu.nz/join
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Jonathan Ayling sits down with Free Speech Union steering group members Dr. David Cumin and Daphna Whitmore (also editor of Marxist blog Redliner) to discuss the pressing need for more Free Speech Union activism on our country's campuses. The team then chat through the Free Speech segment of ACT party leader David Seymour's recent - and very impressive - 'State Of The Nation' Address which brought up an interesting question: Why is the National Party MIA on the Free Speech issue?
And make sure you register for the first SpeakEasy event of 2022 with David Seymour which will be live on our Facebook page.
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Netsafe - the self-professed 'online safety organisation' - has recently released a draft code that would see more content on digital platforms removed under the guise of hate speech and misinformation. While the code would be adopted voluntarily by platforms, it would target speech that is not illegal. Worried? You bloody well should be! This code will quickly be weaponised and politicised to become a tool of cancel culture and the woke mob.
Jonathan Ayling sits down with Ani O'Brien and Stephen Franks for the second episode of our new LOL (Life Out Loud) format - in which a trio of board members and/ or special guests will discuss the weeks most urgent topics. Today it's why the Free Speech Union is so very concerned with this code, and how you can use our easy online submission tool to take a stand against it www.FreeSpeechSubmission.com
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling speaks to an advisor (who will remain nameless) who fell foul of management after attending a presentation by LGBTQIA+ activist group InsideOUT. The advisor raised a question at the end with the presenter and soon after received a letter from the Deputy Chief Executive of the organisation, claiming that they had been 'offended and shocked' along with others for using the term 'male-bodied'. Jonathan himself sat down with the Deputy Chief Executive of the particular ministry along with a senior ministry HR advisor, and the employee (a member of the Free Speech Union) a few weeks back, so what was the outcome of the meeting? Listen to the episode for a chilling insight into how our public servants are increasingly being threatened for challenging fashionable political views. Never has a Free Speech Union been more vital! Join the fight @ www.fsu.nz/join
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Join us for the first episode of what is sure to be an informative and entertaining new format.
Every week a trio from our steering group (and the occasional special guest) will discuss a number of cases featured in the weekly Free Speech Union newsletter. This is your chance to get a deeper dive into our current case file and to understand the many perspectives that collectively make up the steering group of your union.
Jonathan Ayling, Dane Giraud, and Ani O'Brien kick off by discussing the public service advisor censored by her boss for using the term 'male-bodied' and the impact of regional council's 'Codes of Conduct' on democracy. The team then wrestle with the $14,000 bill handed to the 'Freedom and Rights Coalition' by Christchurch City Council for an 'unauthorized' protest and offer a balanced assessment of the complaint made by Dr. Souixie Wiles and Sean Hendy against the University of Auckland www.fsu.nz/join
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Georgina Beyer clashed with Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki (currently back in the news for his anti-vaccination stance) in a number of televised debates around this time, and on this weeks episode - hosted by Free Speech Union Spokesperson Dane Giraud - Georgina discusses her many stoushes with Tamaki and why debate is so key to exposing toxic messaging, along with sharing many colorful anecdotes around her colorful journey through politics. Political history buffs get set for a truly fascinating and engaging discussion with a real Kiwi free-speech champion! www.fsu.nz/join
(Georgina Beyer is a Member of the NZ Order of Merit (MNZM). She was the world's first openly transgender Mayor (Carterton) as well as the world's first openly transgender Member of Parliament for Labour) (1999 - 2007).
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Former Prime Minister Sir Bill English described them as a threat to democracy a good 15 years ago but we didn't heed his warning. Today 'Codes of Conduct' are being used by Regional Councils to silence dissenting councilors by outlawing criticism and undermining the democratic process. Otago Regional Council made the foolish decision to try to silence Cr. Michael Laws - a man that was never going to take this lying down - and got a bloody nose for their efforts. But 'Codes of Conduct are a nationwide Free Speech and democracy issue as we explore in this roundtable chaired by Free Speech Union Spokesperson Stephen Franks and featuring Jackie Elliot of Kapiti Coast District Council, Peter Schulte of South Waikato District Council, and Nobby Clark, Deputy Mayor of Invercargill City Council. Join today at www.fsu.nz
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Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore spoke to Canadian freelance journalist Meghan Murphy. Meghan is the founder and editor of the Feminist Current website, and hosts a heterodox podcast The Same Drugs https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq-04S1vzWPy3G8omi0wVvA She toured NZ in 2019 speaking about the impact on women’s rights of a law change that would allow ‘sex' to be changed on birth certificates. Her speaking venue at Massey University was canceled after the management became spooked by the threat of protests by activists.
Meghan talks about the new online hate speech law Bill C-36 and the growth of speech restrictions in Canada. She explains why Canadians have gone along with attacks on their constitutional rights and how the middle-class urban elites are driving safetyism culture and are focused on emotional threat. She also discusses the social divisions expanding under covid restrictions and she contrasts Canada with Mexico where she now lives. www.fsu/join
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Daphna Whitmore talks to unionist, political commentator, and FSU member Matt McCarten about his two planned summer campaigns aimed at giving exploited workers a voice. Matt lifts the lid on bullying in parliament in a truly explosive segment and asks FSU members to support a petition that will shine a light on the exploitation of migrant workers, many of whom are silenced by their abusers by unnecessary suppression laws. Support Matt's 'One Union', the 'NZ Migrant Workers Association' and the 'Free Speech Union' in fight for free speech so that these workers can finally tell their stories and some of our country's worst abusers are dragged into the sunlight www.fsu.nz/ join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jonathan Ayling moderates a panel discussion between National List MP based in Whanganui Harete Hipango, commentator Damien Grant, and Prof. Natasha Hamilton-Hart of Auckland University on the continuing fallout from the 'Listener Letter' and the pile-on from academics that is now seeing two of the letter's authors under investigation by the Royal Society. The panel questions the rather unscientific assumption from opponents of the letter that 'Might is Right' and asks whether the Royal Society is risking reputational damage by pursuing the investigation. www.fsu.nz/join
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When award-winning Journalist Rachel Stewart had her firearms taken off her over for a joke-tweet, New Zealand was given a chilling taste of how proposed Hate Speech laws will be misused by activists. Rachel speaks to Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud about the incident, and her getting her guns back (a fact unforgivably underreported), along with today's "war on words", the media's ignorance towards rural New Zealand, and what it feels like to be one of the "canceled". www.fsu.nz/join
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What did Karl Marx really think of Free Speech, and what does this say about the new censorious Left? Tune in for a reading (by Dane Giraud) of a recent piece penned by Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore that lays out the traditional Left-wing case for Free Speech and why Marx would not be "team woke!"
"The woke... view the working class as meek and defenseless, not a force that could change society. This patronizing soft bigotry couldn’t be further from Karl Marx’s view of the unified working class as the agent of change with enormous latent power" fsu.nz/join
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Is academic freedom in Aotearoa in peril?
On this emergency episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, spokesperson Jonathan Ayling sits down with Professors Kendall Clements and Garth Cooper and who co-authored the infamous Listener article several months ago, which claimed Matauranga Maori and science are not the same thing
They are now facing the fury of an offended academy, and an investigation has been launched to remove Prof. Cooper from his fellowship with the Royal Society of New Zealand. www.fsu.nz/join
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Comments made to the media about council staff have landed Michael Laws - Otago Regional Council deputy chairman and former Whanganui Mayor - in hot water.
The code of conduct complaint was lodged by council chief executive Sarah Gardner on August 16. But Laws is fighting back with claims that codes of conduct, throughout the entire country, are a blight on local democracy as they are empowering chief executives to silence critics and dodge accountability. Michael talks us through the specifics of his case and lays out just how corrupt council's codes of conduct are.
Get yourself up to speed in this quick but informative episode, because taking on codes of conduct is shaping up to be another major fight for the Free Speech Union www.fsu.nz/join
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Is "Word Policing" consistent with Free Speech principles? Free Speech Union Spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks to Auckland-based solicitor and Spectator columnist Juliet Moses about her recent piece (available online: https://spectator.com.au/author/juliet-mosesexample-com/) that criticized a high profile protester's invoking of the Holocaust in opposition to Dave Chappelle's Netflix stand-up special "The Closer". Dane and Juliet also wrestle with separating art from questionable artists and explore why so many Jews are front and center in the current pushback against wokeism and the current anti-speech movement. Join today fsu.nz/join
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History may be brimming with battlegrounds, but the discipline has long been one itself. Propagandists both of yesteryear and today have tried to subvert it for ideological reasons which is why today's guest, Robert Tombs, Emeritus Professor of French History, Cambridge, and a Fellow of St John’s College, helped found "History Reclaimed", an initiative dedicated to clawing back the pursuit from bad-faith actors. Robert Tombs is joined by leading New Zealand Historian Prof. Paul Moon and Dr. David Cumin to discuss "History Reclaimed" and the general state of academic freedoms in the West today. www.fsu/join
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Join us for an interview with author, journalist, gay-rights activist, and prominent free speech advocate, Jonathan Rauch. Originally recorded as a Free Speech Union members-only event, we now offer the wider New Zealand public an opportunity to listen to an audio version of the full, rousing interview. Free Speech Union Council Member, Dr. David Cumin moderates drawing from Rauch’s seminal book in support of Free Speech "Kindly Inquisitors".
https://www.amazon.com/Kindly-Inquisitors-Attacks-Free-Thought/dp/0226705765
www.fsu.nz/join
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New Plymouth District Councillor Anneka Carlson was sharply criticized after posting a 13-minute video to her personal Facebook page in which she covered topics including vaccine efficacy and human rights. Accused of being anti-vax the council resisted calls to take action against Carlson, but the incident did highlight how ready many people are to leap on anyone asking questions about the COVID response. Will demonizing and silencing critics work, however? Or does it risk tipping the undecided into the anti-vax camp? Rachel Poulain puts this question to Anneka Carlson and gets her side of the story as to what motivated the post, the misrepresentations she had to endure, and why allowing for the concerns of the hesitant is likely to be far more beneficial in the long run to the overall vaccine program. Join today www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud interviews veteran journalist Ian Sinclair (most famous for a lengthy stint on staple investigative show "Sunday"). The discussion ranges from Ian's encounter with real fascism in Franco's Spain that inspired his move into hard-hitting journalism, the prevalence of opinion pieces today and whether they harm the current media landscape, and the potentially troubling implications of the new 55 million dollar media fund. Join us today at www.fsu/join
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Join us for the podcast version of a live discussion (recorded on the 27th of Sept) with Free Speech Union Council Member, Stephen Franks, and prominent lawyers Graeme Edgeler and Daniel Kalderimis as they consider the free speech implications of court order name suppression, and whether such orders place an unacceptable limit on free speech www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Jordan Williams talks with "Speak Up For Women" co-founder Beth Johnson about the women's rights group's recent stoush with NZME. The media juggernaut canceled one of their advertisements after complaints from a handful of activists despite the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) having already cleared the ad after it attracted criticism in billboard form. Our support for "SUFW" in this instance prompted pushback even from some of our supporters, as NZME is a private company. Get up to speed with this special report on the ideological takeover of our media, and hear why our defense of "SUFW" against the privately-owned NZME was so integral to the wider Free Speech battle. www.fsu.nz/join
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In this episode of the Free Speech Union podcast, Free Speech Union Council Member Stephen Franks interviews prominent free speech activist and legal academic, Nadine Strossen. Ms. Strossen was the first female president of the American Civil Liberties Union, and sat down for a live discussion with Free Speech Union members.
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Rahera Poulain speaks with economist Ananish Chaudhuri about the importance of Free Speech and the troubling lack of criticism from the media and the opposition to the mounting examples of government overreach we've seen throughout the pandemic response. A thought-provoking interview with a world-renowned mind. Enjoy and if you haven't already join the Free Speech Union today at www.fsu/join
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The Conversion Therapy Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill is certain to impinge on New Zealander's freedom of expression and needs amendments. Listen here to an unabridged version of the Free Speech Union's submission on the Bill that will step you through our very specific Free Speech concerns and their potentially devastating implications www.fsu.nz/join
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Rachel Poulain speaks with Anna Rippon and Dr. Michael Morris of the New Zealand chapter of vegan group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE), a “global grassroots network of animal rights activists”.
Anna and Dr. Morris discuss why they don’t support the proposed hate speech laws (in spite of the abuse they commonly receive as a minority political group challenging the mainstream), the many misconceptions about veganism, and present the potentially “devastating” implications of the Government’s hate speech proposals could have for animal rights (and by extension all) activism.
Read DxE’s submission against the proposed 'hate speech' laws here: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2107/S00178/most-hated-group-opposes-hate-speech-rules.htm"
And if you're not a member already join the Free Speech Union today! www.fsu.nz/ join
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For the Free Speech Unions first Speakeasy webinar (presented on the 22nd of July) we sat down with Kathleen Stock author and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Sussex. Kathleen has been aggressively targeted by the outrage mob for her insistence that the relationship between sex and gender can never be “beyond debate”. She has become a figurehead for the pushback against the censorious approach of organisations like "Stonewall", in which everyday language and ordinary people’s understanding of what men and women are have been declared offensive, bigoted or discriminatory.
Kathleen draws on the analysis set out in her new book, Material Girls: Why Reality Matters for Feminism, to take us through the reasons why this issue has become so controversial, not just amongst activists and intellectuals but across our institutions and our political and cultural life, leading to the extraordinary denunciation of JK Rowling and others. Throughout, Kathleen has exemplified the spirit of good faith debate and has actively defended the free speech of others. Last year she was awarded an OBE in recognition of her contribution to higher education.
In this audio version of the webinar Kathleen speaks with Free Speech Union member Daphna Whitmore (Speak Up For Women) www.fsu.nz www.Savefreespeech.co.nz
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Imam Mustenser Qamar of the Wellington Ahmadiyya Muslim Community returns to the podcast to discuss alternative approaches to fighting racism and discrimination with the Free Speech Union's Dane Giraud. Imam Mustenser also discusses his attendance at a recent Ministry of Justice hui on the proposed 'Hate Speech' laws and his concerns for religious freedoms should the laws as presented be passed. Imam and Dane also discuss how 'Hate Speech' laws could potentially making dialogue and the educational initiatives the Imam is involved in harder by making people with hostile views on minority groups less prepared to risk conversation. Make sure you share this episode on all your networks, become a member at www.fsu.nz/join and complete a submission in what is now the final week at www.freespeechsubmission.com
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Free Speech Union spokesperson Dane Giraud speaks with political organiser and legend of the New Zealand Union movement (as well as new FSU member) Matt McCarten. In a candid and wide-ranging discussion Matt talks about the centrality of Free Speech to traditional Left-wing politics and societal progress, why we should reject any talk of Free Speech being a Left-Right issue, and how shutting down debate ultimately serves the neoliberal status quo. A powerful and informative conversation with a lot of important reminders that it is Free Speech supporters who truly stand on the side of fairness and progress. Do make sure you spread the message by sharing this episode with all your networks, and if you haven't already, make your submission (in under 3 mins) against proposed 'Hate Speech' laws at www.freespeechsubmission.com www.fsu.nz/join
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Absorb some of the most powerful arguments against the Government's proposed 'Hate Speech' laws with this spirited reading of the Free Speech Union's Public submission. And make sure to make your own submission (in well under 5 minutes) using the website www.freespeechsubmission.com because you have a right to be heard.
www.fsu.nz www.Savefreespeech.co.nz
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Guest host Ani O'Brien speaks to renowned New Zealand Historian Paul Moon about navigating through the minefields of this contentious academic field, the health of free speech within our universities, and the challenge of critical theory and what makes it is so dangerous for the advancement of fact-based research. A great and far-ranging discussion with one of New Zealand's greatest minds. Enjoy! But not before supporting our petition at Savefreespeech.co.nz
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Dane Giraud speaks to spokeswoman for 'Speak Up For Women' Daphna Kaye Whitmore about her groups stunning success in the High Court last week against Auckland and Palmerston North city councils. The rulings are a major accomplishment both for 'SUFW' and the 'Free Speech Union' who supported the group through their battle. Is the tide turning? Ideologically captured councils will now have to think twice about breaching the bill of rights and de-platforming groups that don't conform to woke culture. Listen to an episode that's all good news, and if you're not a member of the 'Free Speech Union' join today! fsu.nz/ join
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The Free Speech Union's Dr. David Cumin and Dane Giraud dig into the six proposals being offered up as the government's new hate speech laws. And they are truly frightening! An in-depth episode that shines a light on numerous troubling aspects of what is currently being tabled, we also analyze Justice Minister Kris Faafoi's less-than-assuring interview with Tova O'Brien in which he couldn't tell us if millennials wouldn't be imprisoned for hating on boomers! fsu.nz/join
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Beth Johnson, a spokeswoman for women's rights group 'Speak Up For Women', returns after a short two weeks with a big announcement: after a series of unjustified and unlawful cancellations from various council venues for the crime of wanting to discuss a bill currently before parliament, 'SUFW' with the support of the 'Free Speech Union', will be heading to the courts in defense of our bill of rights.
You are a part of this story! The silencing of one voice is potentially the silencing of all voices including your own. But there is hope: You can be a part of the solution! Tune in and learn how you can directly support 'SUFW' and the Free Speech Union's fight for our free speech rights www.fsu.nz/join
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Dr. David Cumin interviews Beth Johnson of 'Speak Up For Women', a women's rights advocacy group that has had several public talks canceled by city councils over the past few weeks. It seems our councils still have no issue breaching the bill of rights and discriminating against certain interest groups, despite the 'Free Speech Union' having recently received a court ruling that councils must uphold freedom of expression. A chilling interview, but also a serious call to action. Remember to share this episode and if you are not already a member join the 'FSU' today.
https://www.fsu.nz/join
https://speakupforwomen.nz/
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Patrick Corish interviews British journalist and founder of the Free Speech Union UK, Toby Young. In a wide-ranging conversation, Young discusses the desperate need for, and scope of the Union he established in early 2020, along with some of their early wins. A sister organization to the NZ Free Speech Union, this episode also serves as a helpful primer for the support we too will offer in the fight for Free Speech in New Zealand. Join today @ www.fsu.nz/join
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Jordan Williams, Stephen Franks and Patrick Corish discuss the Court of Appeal judgement, released this morning.
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Last week you heard from our panel of experts on the big ideas surrounding the recent advances made by big tech companies into their new role of arbiters of acceptable speech.
This week, we're bringing you the voice of one of those people swept up in the hysteria over the far-right.
Former ACT candidate Stephen Berry talks us through his being permanently banned by Twitter in the platform's recent political purge.
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In the wake of the Capitol Hill riot on the 6th of January, American tech companies removed Donald Trump from a number of the most globally popular social media sites. In the following days thousands of other accounts were suspended or banned, with the fallout reaching to a number of mostly right wing New Zealand accounts.
But is this really a threat to free speech? What are the legal or political ramifications? And what can New Zealanders even do about it?
We have brought together a panel of free speech experts to get to the heart of this issue, including Stephen Franks, Liam Hehír, Ani O'Brian, and Damian Grant.
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Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Stephen Franks sat down for a conversation with New Zealand's Chief Censor David Shanks. Stephen and David discussed the classification of the manifesto, the role the censor has in protecting children, censorship in the digital age and the value war-time reporting has in communicating the horrors of war.
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Don Brash has been an outspoken advocate for free speech, democracy and open dialogue. In this speech, Mr Brash takes an in-depth look at the state of free speech in New Zealand, noting that while there have been a number of instances where the speech of individuals has been silenced, the voices in defence of this foundational principle are increasingly gaining prominence.
This is the recoding of a speech given by Don Brash, given to the Shalom Students Association on the 9th of September, and the Q&A which followed. Thank you to the Shalom Students Association and Don Brash for continuing to uphold the values of free and frank discussion on difficult issues.
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In this episode of the Free Speech Coalition podcast, Patrick Corish interviews Victoria University of Wellington Senior Lecturer of Classical Studies James Kierstead. Dr Kierstead gives a unique perspective on free speech in ancient Greece and talks about his research work on diversity of thought in academia. They also tackle the question classical students often wonder: was Socrates an assh*le?
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In this short think piece, Dane Giraud laments the trend of culturally shallow and naive attacks on comedy and creativity, and how it all seems reminiscent of every other attempt by authority figures to ban people from seeing works they personally dislike.
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Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has never shied away from robust speech, so when he sat down on the FSC Podcast we wanted to get to the bottom of his position on the line between free speech and hate speech, what should be done about Universities which don't uphold their duty to academic freedom, and where Andrew Little's hate speech legislation has gotten to.
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Elected officials should not have the power to choose who can speak in our public spaces. And yet, that will be the result if the High Court's decision in the Free Speech Coalition's case against Regional Facilities Auckland is not overturned this week.
To help us understand the stakes at play, and the significance of this case, Patrick Corish sat down with renowned public law expert, and long time FSC supporter, Stephen Franks for a recap of the High Court decision and an explanation of the arguments this time around.
The hearing will take place on the 4th and 5th of August at the Auckland High Court building. The public gallery will be open if you want to show your support, or witness the hearing first hand.
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A few weeks ago, Massey University lecturer Dr Steve Elers’s weekly column in the Manawatu-Standard sparked calls for disciplinary procedures to be invoked against him and an article by the Vice Chancellor qualifying Massey’s commitment to academic freedom. Dr Elers agreed to talk us through this most recent example of Massey University's intolerance of academic freedom.
Links:
- Dr Elers's final Stuff article
- Vice Chancellor's response article
- The Harper's Letter
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In preparation for the Interfaith Panel on Free Speech, Patrick sat down with Imam Mustenser Qamar to discuss the position on free speech within Islam. A member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Imam Mustenser has a unique perspective on the value which free speech has to members of a minority community.
Hear more from Imam Mustenser at the Perspectives on Free Speech Panel at 6pm on Wednesday the 22nd July, held at VUW's Rutherford House and hosted by the Shalom Students' Association . More details here.
Show Notes:
- Pakistan's Ordinance XX.
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In a spirited conversation with Dane Giraud, Maori broadcaster and commentator Ward Kamo discusses Maori perspectives on Free Speech and how banning offensive speech denies Maori the opportunity to "set the record straight."
Ward Kamo is a broadcaster (formerly of Native Affairs), a social and political commentator and popular MC who has held senior management roles for Ngai Tahu Holdings Corporation and the Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri iwi Trust.
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This is the audio version of a blog post which you can find here.
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On this episode, Dane is joined by editor of Redline blog, Daphna Whitmore. Together they transcend the Left/Right divide and embark on an understanding of the free speech implications of issues like the Twitter mob, the Government's proposed emergency police powers, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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Dr Steve Elers is a professor of communications and media at Massey University, who's article criticising the Prime Minister attracted corrections from the PM's office. Patrick Corish sat down with Dr Elers for this virtual episode of FSC Podcast, to discuss what this means for the media in the wake of the $50 million bailout package for news sites.
You can read the article in question here, and find his column for Stuff here.
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Dane Giraud interviews David Farrar on Govt. bans on some media as part of level 4 COVID-19 response, and why it's an important matter of free speech.
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In this special live episode, join Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Jordan Williams as he hosts Ani O'Brien of Speak Up 4 Women and Stuff columnist Damien Grant for a debate on all things free speech, from Twitter, transgender politics, abortion clinic 'safe zones', pornography, and the ban on the Christchurch shooter's manifesto and video.
You can find Ani and Damien on Twitter at @aniobrien and @damienmgrant.
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This week, Patrick talks with Georgina Blackmore about the upcoming Abortion Legalisation Bill, in particular the “safe areas” which the bill would establish to prevent protest in the vicinity of abortion clinics, and the state of protest rights globally. Georgina has been at the forefront of a number of protest groups, and is an experienced and skilled activist.
With the (accidental) passing of the SOP making these "safe zones" ineffective, free speech activists can breathe a sigh of relief, however the discussion of the international implementation of these "safe zones" is still fascinating.
This episode was recorded on 3 March 2020.
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This is the first part in a two part discussion with world renowned moral philosopher and psychologist James Flynn. Professor Flynn has been at the forefront of the discussion on intelligence, race and IQ, bringing this together with a deep grasp of moral and political philosophy.
In this episode Professor Flynn covers his research and study on intelligence and its application to politics, and the current state of universities.
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ACT leader David Seymour has picked up the free speech batten and is looking at the likes of Massey University with a Parliamentary Members Bill that would require taxpayer funded institutions to respect free speech on campus.
Patrick Corish sits down with David to discuss his Bill.
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Dr Michael Johnston is an Associate Dean of Education at Victoria University of Wellington. His teaching focuses on the educational assessment and in particular, the positive and negative impacts on pedagogy and curriculum.
Dr Johnston has launched a campaign calling for New Zealand's universities to adopt the University of Chicago's statement on free speech, and he sits down with Patrick to discuss the campaign and how educational institutions do their students a disservice by trying to 'protect' them from controversial or offensive ideas or speakers.
The Chicago principles are available here: https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/FOECommitteeReport.pdf
Dr Jonston's letter to VUW's Vice-Chancellor is available here: www.freespeechcoalition.nz/johnston_letter
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Helen Pluckrose is an academic specialising in postmodern thought. She has become known mainly by her participation in the Sokal Squared - Grievance Studies Affair where she, James Lindsay, and Boghassian manufactured fake academic articles to illustrate how easily it publish in social science journals.
Helen shares her insights into the postmodern school of thought and its natural aversion towards free speech.
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Patrick Corish sits down with the deputy leader of the New Conservative Party of New Zealand, Elliot Ikelei. Patrick and Elliot discuss the New Conservative's views on free speech, the role of parents in protecting children from online harm and Elliot's debate on free speech with Dr Don Brash at Auckland University.
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Patrick sits down with Dr Melissa Derby, a lecturer of history at Auckland University of Technology. On 16 October Massey University cancelled a Feminism 2020 event that Melissa was invited to speak at. Her speech was going to be on the dangers of identity politics and the break down of constructive dialogue between different interest groups.
Patrick and Melissa discuss the topic of her speech and the growing issues surrounding public dialogue in which anti-free speech mentality is a root cause.
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This is "Part 1" of a two part episode. Stephen and Patrick interview the former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and professor at the New York Law School, Nadine Strossen.
Professor Strossen shares her insight as an expert on the First Amendment and her experience with free speech issues as the ACLU's youngest president. The group discusses several major points in Professor Strossen's book on free speech entitled "Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech and Not Censorship."
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This is "Part 2" of a two part episode. Stephen and Patrick interview the former president of the American Civil Liberties Union and professor at the New York Law School, Nadine Strossen.
Professor Strossen shares her insight as an expert on the First Amendment and her experience with free speech issues as the ACLU's youngest president. The group discusses several major points in Professor Strossen's book on free speech entitled "Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech and Not Censorship."
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Patrick speaks with spokesperson for Speak Up 4 Women, Ani O'Brien, about the Green Party's treatment of Jill Abigail after the publication of her article in the Green Party's offical magazine Te Awa.
Patrick and Ani discuss the current "cancel culture" currently within left-wing parties, the policing of dissenting opinions with the Green Party and the importance of free speech within the feminist movement.
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Jordan Williams and Patrick Corish sit down with the plaintiffs of the legal case the Free Speech Coalition was founded for, Dr David Cumin and Malcolm Moncrief-Spittle.
The four discuss the opening statements of the case and the issues surrounding the judicability of Regional Facilities Auckland's decision to cancel the speaking event hosting Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern.
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Free Speech Coalition's Dr David Cumin interviews British journalist and editor of Spiked! Online, Brendan O'Neill. David and Brendan discuss the similarities between New Zealand and Britain regarding free speech, censorship culture and the current climate surrounding political correctness.
Brendan gives his views on the scope of free speech and how current pushes for hate speech laws does more harm than good to those that the laws purport to protect.
You can read Brendan's recommended reading by Fredrick Douglas, "A Plea for Freedom of Speech in Boston" here.
You can listen to Brendan's podcast, The Brendan O'Neill Show here.
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Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Rachel Poulain interviews Grant Edwards. Grant is a street preacher with more than 20 years of preaching experience. Recently Grant was preaching on a public street in Whangarei where he was stopped by the police and threatened with being charged under the Summary Offences Act for disorderly behaviour.
Grant opens up about his views on free speech, persons of different faiths and views and the current political climate that is increasingly aggressive against preachers in New Zealand.
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Patrick Corish interviews Ali Gammeter and Gabriel Tagi, the two Youth Parliament speakers that wrote their speeches on the importance of freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas. Patrick, Ali and Gabriel discuss the speeches, the inspiration for their speeches and their personal views on the current politically correct culture.
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Patrick of the Free Speech Coalition speaks with well known New Zealand political cartoonist and painter, Garrick Tremain. Garrick has had over thirty years of experience as a political cartoonist and he shares his insight not only on the nature of the role, but the importance of allowing satire to be published.
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Free Speech Coalition co-founder Jordan Williams sits down with Dr Reynold Macpherson and Stephen Franks to discuss Dr Macpherson's complaint to the police about a Facebook page that parodies him and his mayoral run for the Rotorua District Council.
The Free Speech Coalition wanted to challenge Dr Macpherson on his previous stance on free speech and his complaint that this parody page is not be covered by this freedom.
Constitutional lawyer and former MP Stephen Franks offers his legal analysis on whether Dr Macpherson's complaint is valid.
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Patrick sits down with National MP for Tamaki Simon O'Connor and constitutional lawyer Stephen Franks to discuss hate speech laws, and the potential philosophical changes within New Zealand's culture throughout the years that may have lead to these calls for censorship. Patrick asks Simon about National's position an ACT's Freedom to Speak Bill and National's position on the UN Migrant Compact.
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Free Speech Coalition Spokesperson Rachel Poulain interviews ACT Party's leader and MP representative to Epsom David Seymour.
Mr Seymour has recently introduced his 'Freedom to Speak Bill' to Parliament to amend the Human Rights Act and Summary Offences Act, removing sections prohibiting and criminalising types of expression deemed discriminator or inflammatory.
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Free Speech Coalition Spokesperson Rachel Poulain interviews Ani O'Brien of the Speak Up 4 Women campaign about the problems she has encounters with the anti-free speech movement while promoting women's rights.
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Free Speech Coalition member Dr David Cumin interviews Americans for Tax Reform founder Grover Norquist.
Mr Norquist discusses the fundamental need for free speech in political movements, the difference between the United States approach to free speech and New Zealand's approach, and the role that media plays in information and censorship.
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Free Speech Coalition co-founder Jordan Williams interviews Reynold Macpherson and Dr Don Brash.
Reynold Macpherson is a Rotorua mayoral candidate who was accused of hate speech for responding to councillor Tania Tapsell's encouragement for young people to stand for council by stating "beware of the charismatic pitch of the Pied Piper".
Dr Don Brash was the leader of National Party while in Opposition. He was banned from speaking at a student led political event by Massey University due to his association with Hobson's Pledge even though his speech was exclusively about his time as Leader of the Opposition.
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