Free Speech Union

1. Business / Trading Name:

Free Speech Union (New Zealand) Incorporated – commonly known as the Free Speech Union. Formerly launched as the Free Speech Coalition in 2018 (rebranded as Free Speech Union in 2021).

2. Company Number:

Incorporated Society registration number 50060249 (registered union identifier for Employment Relations Act purposes).

3. NZBN:

9429049127560 (as listed on Incorporated Societies Register)

4. Entity Type:

Non-profit Incorporated Society; registered trade union under the Employment Relations Act 2000.

5. Business Classification:

Civil liberties advocacy and member representation (free speech rights). Registered as a union promoting members’ collective employment interests.

6. Industry Category:

Political advocacy / Public interest organisation (focus on freedom of expression).

7. Year Founded:

2018 – formed as the Free Speech Coalition in response to Auckland Council banning two controversial speakers. 2021 – formally launched as the Free Speech Union after registering as a trade union on 11 March 2021.

8. Addresses:

Postal: PO Box 10512, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, New Zealand.
Headquarters: Wellington (physical office co-located with the NZ Taxpayers’ Union).

(No additional branch addresses disclosed.)

9. Website URL:

Official site: https://www.fsu.nz (provides news, membership sign-up, and resources).

10. LinkedIn URL:

LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/free-speech-union-new-zealand – listed under “Political Organizations” with ~400 followers.

11. Company Hub NZ URL:

Data Not Found (no public CompanyHub profile available for this entity).

12. NZ Companies Office URL:

Incorporated Societies Register: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17d7a69ec9ae2b124b&_timestamp=2894979753413222 (Incorporated Societies Register)

13. Social Media URLs:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreeSpeechUnion/
Twitter (X): https://x.com/NZFreeSpeech
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUO3PLER31DdFldrwvi3aJg

(Active on social media sharing campaign updates and media appearances.)

14. Ultimate Holding Company:

None (independent non-profit association; no parent company).

15. Key Shareholders:

None (not a company – structured as a membership union without share capital).

16. Leadership:

Jonathan Ayling – Chief Executive (President): Leads the Union since 2021. Former parliamentary adviser to National Party MPs, Ayling is the primary spokesperson and strategist.
Jordan Williams – Co-Founder & Council Member: Lawyer and well-known political lobbyist. Co-founded the Free Speech Union (as an outgrowth of the Free Speech Coalition) and sits on its governing council. Williams is also Executive Director of the Taxpayers’ Union, reflecting close ties between the two organisations.
Governing Council: The Union’s Council (board) spans the political spectrum and includes figures like Dr. David Cumin (academic), Stephen Franks (lawyer, former MP), Ani O’Brien (commentator), Dr. Roderick Mulgan, Thomas Newman, Dane Giraud, Prof. Geoff Plimmer, Jillaine Heather, Robin van Ausdall, and Douglas Brown. (The Council Chair is not publicly specified; governance is collective.)

17. Staff:

Hannah Clow – Senior Legal Counsel: In-house counsel handling legal cases, letters, and submissions.
Nick Hanne – Education Partnerships Manager: Former teacher leading the “Speak Up!” free speech program in schools.
Arian Tashakkori – Operations Coordinator: Manages member correspondence and administrative processes.
Stephanie Martin – Stakeholder Relationship Manager: Oversees relationships with professional members and councils, advocating for free speech in various sectors.
Nathan Seiuli - Outreach and Events Manager
Nadia Braddon-Parsons - Communications and Marketing Manager

(Core staff is small, with 2–3 full-time and some part-time roles. Additional contractors and volunteers (e.g. communications specialists) support specific campaigns.)

18. Staff with Previous Government Roles:

Jonathan Ayling: Former advisor to National Party MPs (David Bennett and Simeon Brown) before joining the Free Speech Union. This political staff experience gives Ayling insight and connections in parliamentary processes.
(Other staff/council members with government backgrounds include Stephen Franks, ex-MP (ACT) and Robin van Ausdall, a public servant, but these are governing volunteers, not paid staff.)

19. Past Employees:

Data Not Found (no publicly documented former staff departures. The organisation’s formal staff is relatively new and stable since its 2021 launch).

20. Clients:

Not Applicable. (The Union is a member-based advocacy group, not a consultancy. Its “clients” are its members – individuals who seek support in free speech issues. It represents members (e.g. academics, professionals, students) facing threats to their expression, rather than external corporate clients.)

21. Industries/Sectors Represented:

Cross-sector membership: The Union represents individuals across various industries where free expression issues arise. This includes academia, media, public sector, law, and private businesses. For example, it has defended university staff and students, local government officials, health professionals, and others on free speech matters. Rather than a specific industry, it champions the civil liberty of free speech in all sectors of New Zealand society.

22. Publicly Disclosed Engagements:

Parliamentary Submissions: The Free Speech Union regularly submits to Parliament and government consultations. Notably, it mobilised 15,000 submissions in 2021 opposing proposed hate speech laws (about 80% of all submissions on the issue), contributing to the government shelving the legislation. It has presented oral evidence in select committees – e.g. Jonathan Ayling appeared before the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee on the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill in February 2024. The Union also submitted on the Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill 2023, warning of free speech implications.
Legal Challenges: The Union has initiated or supported court cases to uphold free speech. It funded litigation on behalf of group “Speak Up For Women” in 2021, successfully overturning venue bans for feminist events. It also threatened legal action against Rotorua Lakes Council in 2023 over a policy banning “offensive” public submissions.
Local Government Lobbying: The Union engages local councils to protect speech. It has sent Official Information Act requests and letters to councils regarding facility hire policies and codes of conduct. (For example, in 2024 it queried multiple councils’ venue cancellation policies following controversial speaker bans.)
Petitions & Open Letters: It organised petitions such as urging the government to grant a visa to speaker Candace Owens (late 2024). The Union’s petition and legal pressure contributed to the Immigration Minister overturning Owens’ travel ban.
Public Events & Campaigns: The Union has hosted public meetings and webinars (including campus debates) and runs a regular podcast highlighting free speech cases. In 2024 it co-organised the “Unsilenced” conference in Wellington defending “middle New Zealand” voices alongside other groups.

23. Affiliations:

UK Free Speech Union (FSU): The NZ Free Speech Union is an official sister organisation to the original UK Free Speech Union. It uses the same name and intellectual property under licence from the UK group. (The NZ Union was effectively the first international affiliate of Toby Young’s UK FSU.)
NZ Taxpayers’ Union: There are strong links (though not a formal affiliation) with the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union. The two groups share office space in Wellington and have overlapping personnel (co-founder Jordan Williams leads the Taxpayers’ Union). This close relationship reflects a coordinated ideological advocacy network on free speech and government accountability.
Other Networks: The Union’s council includes figures associated with diverse entities – e.g. council member Stephen Franks is a principal of Franks & Ogilvie law firm (which has provided legal support to the Free Speech Union). Council advisor Dr. David Cumin is involved in the Jewish community and Israel Institute, indicating ties to free speech advocates concerned with academic freedom and antisemitism debates. The Union is also informally aligned with civil society allies on a case-by-case basis (for instance, partnering with civil liberties groups and even members of the Black Power gang to oppose overly broad law changes).

24. Sponsorships / Collaborations:

Curia Research Partnership: The Union commissioned Curia Market Research (a polling company) to conduct nationwide surveys on academic freedom in universities. This collaboration produced high-profile reports (though controversially, see Controversies below).
Joint Advocacy Efforts: It occasionally teams up with unlikely partners in joint submissions or letters. In 2024, the Free Speech Union collaborated with Black Power members, the Human Rights Commission, and others in a joint front against the proposed gang insignia ban, citing free expression concerns. It also works with groups like Family First NZ and ACT Party members informally when interests align (e.g. co-hosting events or supporting the same court cases).
Events and Forums: The Union has co-organised public forums such as free speech panel discussions at universities and community “Free Speech” events, sometimes in partnership with campus clubs or other free-speech advocacy groups. It supported the Victoria University of Wellington free speech debate in 2024 (in conjunction with the university, until it was postponed amid controversy). The Union’s “Unsilenced” conference involved collaboration with conservative advocacy groups and attracted speakers from Family First and religious organisations.

25. Events (Held or Organised):

Free Speech Union Podcast & Webinars: The Union runs a podcast and online webinars featuring interviews and discussions with academics, journalists, and activists on free speech issues (an ongoing event series available to members and the public).
Public Meetings & Panels: It organises member meet-ups and panel discussions. For example, it arranged a campus debate on “The role of universities in supporting freedom of speech” at Victoria University in 2024 (later postponed due to student protests). The Union’s spokespeople frequently appear at public talks (e.g. Auckland free speech forums, and community events defending controversial speakers’ right to be heard).
Conferences: In May 2024 the Union helped host “UNSILENCED: Middle New Zealand on Ideology”, a conference in Wellington highlighting concerns about “cancel culture”. This event featured speeches by figures from Family First and others, with the Union defending the conference’s right to proceed amid calls for cancellation.
Campaign Launch Events: When significant campaigns are launched (such as the 2021 relaunch as a union, or major petition drives), the Union holds press conferences or media events. For instance, its 2018 Free Speech Coalition fundraising drive was a public launch event led by Don Brash. Similarly, the official launch of the Free Speech Union in May 2021 was accompanied by media statements and interviews with founders.

26. Political Donations:

None disclosed. The Free Speech Union does not donate to political parties or candidates (it is an issue-advocacy group funded by memberships and donations). There is no public record of the Union making any political donations, and as a union it is legally focused on member representation rather than electoral activity. (Notably, co-founder Jordan Williams’ separate Taxpayers’ Union has a policy of not endorsing or donating to political parties, and the same non-partisan stance carries over to the Free Speech Union.)

27. Controversies:

Academic Freedom Survey Accuracy: In 2023, the Union published an Academic Freedom report based on a Curia survey of academics, claiming a crisis in university free speech. It was later revealed that the survey’s methodology was flawed and not representative. The polling firm (Curia, run by National Party pollster David Farrar) had added disclaimers about sample bias, but the Union initially linked to an unamended version of the report. After media inquiries, the Free Speech Union removed the link and corrected its statements. Curia’s head publicly urged the Union to accurately represent the survey’s limitations. This episode drew criticism of the Union for presenting misleading conclusions and failing to disclose caveats, prompting concern from research experts about its advocacy tactics.
Allegations of Defending Hate Speech: The Union’s staunch defense of controversial speakers has attracted backlash. In 2024, students at Victoria University protested the inclusion of Jonathan Ayling on a panel, citing the FSU’s support for anti-trans activists and anti-co-governance campaigners as harmful to marginalized groups. Salient magazine argued the Union “consistently supports speech that fits the UN definition of hate speech,” questioning the Union’s commitment to defending all speech versus mostly far-right speech. The University debate was postponed amidst the furore. Ayling responded that it was “ironic” a free speech event could be shut down due to threatened boycotts, denying that he or the Union promote hate speech. The incident highlighted tensions between the Union and progressive activists who view some of its causes as giving cover to hate speech.
Internal Critiques and Resignations: Some politicians initially sympathetic to the Free Speech Union have distanced themselves over its approach. (For example, National MP Chris Bishop reportedly asked to cancel his FSU membership after objecting to an aggressive Union letter he received, indicating even supporters have felt uncomfortable with the Union’s tactics.) Additionally, long-time free speech advocates like Dane Giraud have noted the Union can veer into culture-war campaigning – Giraud, a former council member, described some FSU campaigns as pushing a right-wing agenda under the banner of free speech. Such criticism suggests possible mission creep or bias, despite the Union’s claim of political neutrality.
InternetNZ Takeover Attempt: In 2025, the Free Speech Union orchestrated what was described as a “hostile takeover, of sorts,” of InternetNZ – the non-profit managing.nz domains. FSU encouraged hundreds of its supporters to join InternetNZ en masse to vote down constitutional changes aimed at diversity and anti-racism. InternetNZ’s membership “exploded” from ~360 to over 2,100 after FSU’s drive. Critics, including InternetNZ’s president, accused the Union of scaremongering with false claims of internet censorship. Notably, Ayling admitted he had not read the draft reforms he was denouncing (which centered Te Tiriti o Waitangi in governance), being “briefed by staff” instead. He nonetheless called the review “fundamentally undemocratic, ideological and primed for censorship”. Others pointed out the review was a legal requirement to address systemic racism, and accused the FSU campaign of being “very anti-Te Tiriti and anti-Māori” in nature. This saga drew media and industry scrutiny, casting the Union as willing to leverage populist fears to influence an unrelated organisation’s policy – a form of power play not transparently connected to its core mission.
Relationship with the Taxpayers’ Union: The close affiliation with the Taxpayers’ Union (TU) has raised questions. The TU, co-founded by Jordan Williams, is known for opaque funding and aggressive lobbying. The Free Speech Union’s office and personnel overlap with TU have led some commentators to view FSU as an astroturf extension of the same network. For example, both groups have relied on the legal expertise of Franks & Ogilvie and the political strategies of Williams. Critics like academic Dr. Bryce Edwards have noted that these aligned groups operate as an “unofficial lobbying alliance,” pushing a right-libertarian agenda (low taxes, minimal hate speech laws) without disclosing funding sources – effectively lobbying under the guise of grassroots movements. (No direct scandal has emerged from this relationship, but it remains a point of suspicion among transparency advocates.)
Miscellaneous: The Union’s hardline campaigns occasionally attract public ire or satire. The Spinoff (a news site) ridiculed the original Free Speech Coalition in 2018 for “defending racists’ rights to book council venues” while ignoring other free speech issues. Satirical critiques have pointed out instances where prominent Free Speech Union figures themselves weren’t consistent free speech champions in the past. While the Union dismisses these as partisan attacks, they contribute to a controversial public image.

28. Other Information of Note:

Membership Size and Growth: The Union started with only a handful of members (just 13 paid members at 1 March 2021 per official filings), but grew rapidly after its re-launch. It reported over 950 members by 2023 and claimed around 1,500 paid members and 70,000 online supporters by late 2022. In 2024, the Union’s membership return showed 1,063 members. This swift growth – partly through social media and high-profile campaigns – has made it New Zealand’s largest free speech advocacy group. The Union leverages a large email list of supporters (tens of thousands) to flood consultations with submissions and to crowdfund legal actions.
Finances: The Free Speech Union is funded by donations and membership dues (annual membership is ~$50 for individuals). It has successfully crowdfunded significant amounts – e.g. raising NZ$50,000 within days in 2018 to fund its court challenge against Auckland Council. The Union does not publish detailed financial reports, and as a non-charitable association it has no public donor registry. Its ties to wealthy backers are rumored but not confirmed; for example, early Free Speech Coalition efforts had backing from some high-profile figures (academics, former politicians, etc.) who may have contributed funds. A lack of transparency about major donors is a noted gap.
Strategic Positioning: Uniquely, the Free Speech Union adopted the trade union model to underscore solidarity. Founding Council member Dr. David Cumin stated that this formal union status “is not ironic” but rather intentional, to provide “collective solidarity” akin to labour unions of old. The Union’s rules commit it to operating independently of any employer or state influence. This approach allows it to advocate for workers’ free speech rights in employment contexts – a niche not filled by traditional trade unions. It also grants the organisation a veneer of legitimacy in political circles (as “the free speech union movement”) beyond what a typical lobby group might have.
Notable Supporters: The Union boasts an ideologically eclectic support base. Public figures who have endorsed or joined the Free Speech Union include former National Party leader Judith Collins and ACT leader David Seymour, as well as former Labour Party chief of staff Matt McCarten, left-wing columnist Chris Trotter, and academics like Prof. Paul Moon. This unusual mix is often cited by the Union as evidence that free speech is a non-partisan issue “more important than politics.” However, day-to-day, the Union’s messaging aligns more often with libertarian and conservative concerns (leading critics to argue the cross-party support is more cosmetic than substantive).
Media Presence: The Free Speech Union maintains a high media profile. Its representatives frequently appear on talkback and online platforms (e.g. The Platform NZ, a free-speech oriented media outlet) to comment on current controversies. The Union’s communications sometimes generate media stories themselves – for instance, a Free Speech Union open letter or press release will often be picked up by outlets like Scoop News or RNZ. This savvy media engagement amplifies the Union’s influence beyond its size, effectively injecting free speech arguments into national debates.
Watchdog Role: As a union and advocacy group, FSU occupies a grey zone, campaigning on public policy (e.g. censorship laws, academic freedom). This innovative structure and its aggressive campaigns have made the Free Speech Union a significant new actor in New Zealand’s influence landscape, warranting close scrutiny.

29. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme:

No. There is no record of the Free Speech Union receiving any COVID-19 Wage Subsidy payments. During the 2020–21 pandemic relief period, the Union was either not in existence or not eligible (it formally launched in 2021 and did not report any wage subsidy support). (For context, the Taxpayers’ Union controversially did accept government wage subsidies in 2020, but the Free Speech Union itself did not take such funding.)

Sources:

[1] “New Trade Union Launched To Promote Free Speech.” Scoop News (Press Release, Free Speech Union), 5 May 2021. URL: https://m.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2105/S00092/new-trade-union-launched-to-promote-free-speech.htm (accessed 5 Oct 2023).

[2] “Free Speech Union (New Zealand) Incorporated | PO Box 10512, The Terrace, Wellington 6143 | www.fsu.nz. The Free Speech Union is a registered trade union under the Employment Relations Act 2000.” Tararua District Council Official Information Request Response, 2 Sep 2024. URL: https://www.tararuadc.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/171953/Response-to-request-for-information-re-policies-and-guidelines-for-use-of-Council-facilities.pdf (pg.3).

[3] A. W. Farmer (requester), “Free Speech Union Documents – Official Information Act request.” FYI.org.nz (OIA request), response by MBIE, 14 Apr 2022. URL: https://fyi.org.nz/request/18952-free-speech-union-documents (Attachment: MBIE letter and Form RU1 application).

[4] New Zealand Companies Office, “Annual return membership reports – Registered Unions (2023 data).” companiesoffice.govt.nz, 2024. URL: https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/all-registers/registered-unions/annual-return-membership-reports/ (Free Speech Union listed with 950 members as at 1 March 2023).

[5] New Zealand Companies Office, “Union membership return report 2021.” companiesoffice.govt.nz, 2021. URL: https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/all-registers/registered-unions/annual-return-membership-reports/2021/ (Free Speech Union listed with 13 members as at 1 March 2021).

[6] “New Zealand Free Speech Union.” Wikipedia (accessed 1 Nov 2024). URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Free_Speech_Union (History: formed as Free Speech Coalition in 2018, relaunched 2021; leadership by Jonathan Ayling; membership claims).

[7] Jonathan Ayling, as cited in Wikipedia: “By October 2022, the Union claimed 1,500 paid-up members and 70,000 supporters. Since 2021, the organisation has two full-time staff…based in Wellington” – citing Van Dongen (2022).

[8] “About us – Free Speech Coalition (Who is behind this campaign?).” freespeechcoalition.nz (archived), 2018. URL: https://www.freespeechcoalition.nz/about (Lists founding supporters: Don Brash, Ashley Church, David Cumin, Melissa Derby, Stephen Franks, Paul Moon, Lindsay Perigo, Rachel Poulain, Chris Trotter, Jordan Williams).

[9] Chelsea Boyle, “The Free Speech Coalition plans legal action against Massey University Vice Chancellor over cancelled campus talk.” NZ Herald (News report), 9 Aug 2018. URL: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-free-speech-coalition-plans-legal-action-against-massey-university-vice-chancellor-over-cancelled-campus-talk/L6K4QQ5P2PR6T3COHWPSPS25YI/ (Brash as founding member; Williams quotes on legal action).

[10] Hayden Donnell, “All the times our new Free Speech Coalition really hated free speech.” The Spinoff (Opinion/Critique), 12 July 2018. URL: https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/12-07-2018/all-the-times-our-new-free-speech-coalition-really-hated-free-speech (Details coalition launch, $50k raised in a day, critique of members’ past stances).

[11] “Meet the Team – Free Speech Union (NZ).” fsu.nz (official site). URL: https://www.fsu.nz/meet_the_team (Lists current Council members across professions; also staff roles above).

[12] Free Speech Union (NZ) LinkedIn page. URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/free-speech-union-new-zealand/ (Describes mission, headquarters Wellington, type “Nonprofit”, founded 2021, company size “2-10 employees”).

[13] Bryce Edwards, “The Campaign Company.” The Democracy Project (Substack), 7 Sep 2023. URL: https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/the-campaign-company (Profiles Jordan Williams’ Campaign Co., notes Williams as FSU co-founder and Ani O’Brien as a prominent FSU advocate in his firm).

[14] Jordan Williams, Wikipedia (accessed Oct 2024). URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Williams_(New_Zealand_lawyer) (Williams described as co-founder & Council member of NZ Free Speech Union, alongside roles at Taxpayers’ Union and Campaign Co.).

[15] RNZ News, “Changes made after criticism of Free Speech Union report.” RNZ News – Education, 10 May 2024. URL: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/516461/changes-made-after-criticism-of-free-speech-union-report (FSU pulls link to academic survey after Curia updates; Farrar concern about FSU overstating objectivity; issue with misleading summary).

[16] David Farrar, “2023 Academic Freedom Survey results updated with caveat.” Kiwiblog (Blog post), 9 May 2024. URL: http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz (Acknowledges RANZ review finding limitations; Curia added caveat; Farrar emailed FSU to reflect limitations).

[17] Bill Hickman, “Free speech vs hate speech: Victoria University postpones debate after student backlash.” RNZ News, 27 Apr 2024. URL: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/515322/free-speech-vs-hate-speech-victoria-university-postpones-debate-after-student-backlash (Salient criticism of Ayling on panel; FSU support of anti-trans and anti-co-governance activists noted; event postponed due to backlash).

[18] RNZ interview/image caption (15 Feb 2024 select committee): “Image: Jonathan Ayling of the Free Speech Union submits to Parliament’s Economic Development, Science and Innovation select committee regarding the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill, 15 February 2024.” VNP / Phil Smith.

[19] Tim Brown, “Censorship fears over revamp of InternetNZ’s constitution.” RNZ News, 27 Feb 2025. URL: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543148/censorship-fears-over-revamp-of-internetnz-s-constitution (InternetNZ membership doubling after FSU call; newsletter by Judge Harvey claiming co-governance and censorship; Stephen Judd rebuttal; Ayling briefed by staff, calls it undemocratic and primed for censorship).

[20] Chris Keall, “Tech Insider: InternetNZ sees an explosion in membership as Free Speech Union angles for control.” NZ Herald, 9 Mar 2025 (Premium). URL: (premium content, paraphrased) – Reports InternetNZ membership from ~360 to 2110 after FSU bid; Ayling signed up ~500 people, thought at least 500 more joined via INZ site; FSU strategy thwarted by 3-month voting rule; quotes Ayling and Judd.

[21] Free Speech Union (FSU) Facebook page tagline. URL: https://www.facebook.com/FreeSpeechUnion (Describes as “Registered trade union, and NZ’s largest organisation defending your rights to free speech.” – ~39k followers).

[22] Sean Plunket interview with Jonathan Ayling (re: Candace Owens visa). The Platform (YouTube clip), Aug 2023. Ayling discusses FSU petition and legal action pressuring government to allow Owens in.

[23] Bryce Edwards, “Franks & Ogilvie” – Integrity Institute (Substack), 2023. URL: https://democracyproject.substack.com (Notes Stephen Franks as supporting FSU legally; overlap with TU).

[24] Radio NZ, Nine to Noon interview with Jordan Williams, 5 May 2020. Discusses Taxpayers’ Union taking wage subsidy; mentions Free Speech Union separate focus. (Kathryn Ryan interview on lobbying and funding controversies).

[25] RNZ News, “Gang Patch Ban Further Erosion Of Kiwis’ Speech Rights – FSU submission.” Scoop reprint, 18 Nov 2022. URL: https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2211/S00148/gang-patch-ban-further-erosion-of-kiwis-speech-rights-free-speech-union.htm (FSU media release stating submission to Justice Committee on Criminal Activity Intervention Bill; notes four areas of concern, including broad definition of ‘gang’ and freedom of expression issues).

[26] Trent Doyle, “National’s Chris Bishop blasts letter from Free Speech Union, asks to ‘cancel my membership’.” Newshub, 14 Mar 2024. URL: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/03/national-s-chris-bishop-blasts-letter-from-free-speech-union-asks-to-cancel-my-membership.html (Reports Bishop’s reaction to an FSU mass email lobbying MPs over NZ Defence Force “woke” training; Bishop calling it “tin-eared” and seeking to leave FSU).

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz