More than 2,000 New Zealanders have written to the Minister for Media and Communications, Paul Goldsmith, demanding he stop the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) from extending its powers to regulate online media, says Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“The response has been overwhelming,” says Heather. Kiwis don’t want unelected bureaucrats unilaterally appointing themselves as the censor of the modern internet (impacting online media, podcasts and live streams). Freedom of speech must remain paramount. But the BSA’s broad and subjective standards give it licence to silence controversial or unpopular views, creating a chilling effect on online speech.

“Both the Government and the BSA have long known that online media sits outside the Authority’s jurisdiction. “Instead of leaving that gap for Parliament to address, the BSA has chosen to fill it itself - an extraordinary overreach,” Heather says.

“Earlier this month, the BSA accepted a complaint against journalist Sean Plunket for describing tikanga Māori as “mumbo jumbo” on The Platform, an online-only outlet. “This is an attempt to intimidate and censor,” says Heather. It’s an attempt to deny New Zealanders the right to hear others speak their minds. In a free society, it’s up to Plunket’s critics to explain why he’s wrong - not to report him to a government agency that appears to be unable to tolerate dissent.

“Today it’s Sean Plunket. Tomorrow, it could be anyone who expresses an unpopular opinion online.”

“The Free Speech Union is calling on Parliament to draw a clear line around the BSA’s authority and ensure any future reforms strengthen, not erode, the right to free expression guaranteed under current law.

“Free speech is the foundation of an open democracy,” says Heather. Thousands of Kiwis have made it clear: we won’t tolerate backdoor censorship.”

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