Free Speech Union Welcomes Comprehensive Report On Academic Freedom In New Zealand By NZI's Dr. James Kierstead

The Free Speech Union applauds the New Zealand Initiative’s launch of its largest report ever, thoroughly documenting the troubling state of academic freedom in New Zealand. This is important research that highlights the ongoing failure on the part of universities to protect academics’ right and duty to research, teach, and speak freely, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“Through collating 72 personal accounts of academics, five surveys of students and academics, and over 20 incidents of attacks on academic freedom, the report presents an authoritative history of academic freedom for the past decade. Tragically, much ground has been lost over these 10 years.

“Increasingly, our would-be-censors are taking ground in the very locations where rigorous and forthright debate and research should be most unconstrained. Without academics who are free to challenge status-quos, ask provocative questions, and say the unspeakable, public discourse is condemned to continue to atrophy.

“The Free Speech Union will release a partner report to the New Zealand Initiative’s report on academic freedom in coming months, presenting constructive options (including legislative proposals) to correct the dangerous course our universities are currently on.”

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