Make sure this is in the next coalition agreement

ACT announced:

“New Zealanders shouldn’t have to choose between their career and their right to free speech,” says ACT Public Service spokesperson Todd Stephenson.

“Today ACT is announcing a 2026 election policy to stop professional regulators acting as ideological enforcers. ACT will, if returned to Government, introduce legislation to this end. …

ACT will:

• Ban regulators from disciplining members for lawful expression outside their professional practice.
• Require regulators to remain institutionally neutral on political and ideological issues.
• Restrict mandatory training to matters directly related to professional competence and public safety, not affirmation of contested ideological positions.
• Strengthen judicial oversight so courts can properly rein in regulators that exceed their statutory authority.

“To be absolutely clear, professional misconduct will still be professional misconduct. If a nurse harms a patient, a teacher abuses a student, or a professional breaches their duties, regulators should come down hard.

“But if somebody expresses a lawful political opinion, supports a political party, signs a petition, attends a protest, or posts a view online in their own time, that is none of their regulator’s business.

Only a law change will stop the woke left trying to impose their political beliefs as a condition of registration on professions. If the Government isn re-elected, I hope ACT insists this is in the Coalition Agreement.