The Government should confirm it shares the position of Australia’s Immigration Minister, who has lifted the ban of controversial speaker Milo Yiannopoulos from entering the country.

Free Speech Coalition spokesperson Patrick Corish says, “Australia’s Immigration Minister has rightly reversed the his department's attempts to block Mr Yiannopoulos’ entry, a win for the idea that controversial speech is still protected speech.

“Commonwealth nations must adhere to the shared legal traditions that recognise the marketplace of ideas as the ideal platform for social progress, rather than state guidance.”

“Censorship-by-revoked-visa is a threatening prospect that governments may be tempted to employ to censor unpopular or inconvenient speech. The New Zealand Government should support Australia’s latest decision and commit to never revoking visas on the grounds of protecting New Zealanders from speech it deems politically incorrect.”

The Free Speech Coalition does not endorse Milo Yiannopoulos’ views or the methods in which he spreads those views, and is fighting for his right to speak only.

© Scoop Media