We break down the Broadcasting Standards Authority’s claim that it can regulate online platforms under the Broadcasting Act 1989, even though Parliament never updated the law for the internet. We talk through why that change threatens open debate, why the standards are so subjective, and why we think this fight matters for free speech in New Zealand. 
• the BSA asserting jurisdiction over online speech via an old statute 
• why broadcast standards existed in a scarce spectrum era 
• how the internet breaks the logic of compulsory audiences and balance rules 
• the subjectivity of “good taste and decency” and why it becomes a power tool 
• Tikanga flashpoints and the idea of modern “heresy trials” 
• inconsistencies in targeting small outlets while excluding major platforms 
• the practical mess of defining audiences and applying on-demand exceptions 
• the chilling effect of complaints, process costs, and potential fines 
• political and international risks if New Zealand is seen to censor platforms 
• why we say we have to fight and what could come next 
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider sharing the podcast with others. We release new episodes regularly, and subscribing is the easiest way to stay up to date. If you have any questions, feedback or suggestions, you can contact us at podcast at fsu.nz. If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz. 

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📌 Buy Tickets for Sarah's NZ Tour: https://www.fsu.nz/events/mclaughlin-tour 

📅 Tour dates: 

📍 Auckland - Sun 19 April  
📍 Tauranga - Tue 21 April  
📍 Wellington - Wed 22 April  
📍 Christchurch - Thu 23 April  
📍 Dunedin - Fri 24 April 

We talk with Sarah McLaughlin from FIRE about why free speech threats spread across borders faster than most people notice, especially online. We dig into how self-censorship, “online safety” rules, and hate speech laws can shrink debate in universities and everyday life, including here in New Zealand.

• internet censorship and regulation crossing borders quickly
• young people bearing the brunt of speech control and pushing back
• universities self-censoring under pressure from foreign governments and funding
• why Europe and the UK matter for Kiwi free speech debates
• the UK Online Safety Act and spillover effects on global platforms
• under-16 bans, age verification, anonymity risks, and VPN crackdowns
• why hate speech laws can backfire and empower the wrong people
• defending a principle rather than defending a person

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider sharing the podcast with others. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, you can contact us at podcast at fsu.nz. If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz.

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We talk with Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull (Posie Parker) about the Albert Park Let Women Speak event and the moments that turned a public talk into a violent crush-risk situation. We dig into what censorship looks like on the ground, why policing choices matter, and how fear makes ordinary people self-censor. 

• why Kelly targets New Zealand as a case study for compliance and gender ideology 
• efforts to stop the visit through visa pressure, hotel cancellations and security pull-outs 
• the Albert Park layout, crowd size and the missing police plan 
• the tomato soup incident and the surge that triggers violence 
• the escape, the fear of being crushed and the delayed police response 
• name suppression, justice system incentives and victim-blaming online 
• institutional culture battles, including unisex changing spaces and workplace silencing 
• rejecting guilt by association and making space for hard conversations 

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We dig into the second COVID inquiry and why New Zealand still needs real accountability rather than polished narratives. Ani O'Brien argues that free speech, dissent, and honest scrutiny are not side issues but the core safeguards that stop crisis policy from sliding into coercion.

• why adversarial challenge strengthens democracy and decision-making 
• how media dynamics shape what can be questioned 
• the use of misinformation and disinformation labels to shut down debate 
• speech rights impacts alongside legal and medical concerns 
• vaccine mandates for young people and ignored expert advice claims 
• why inquiries serve a cathartic public purpose, not just “lessons learned” 
• the Parliament protest, class divides, and media portrayal 
• online mob behaviour, cancellations, and neighbour-tattling culture 
• selective tolerance for protests and contradictions in enforcement 
• Patty Gower’s apology and what accountability could look like. 

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider sharing the podcast with others. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, you can contact us at podcast at fsu.nz. 

If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz.

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We speak with Forough Amin, founder of Iranian Women in New Zealand, about Iran’s contested past, the machinery of censorship, and why a renaissance is still possible. History, ideology, and free speech collide as we follow the path from the Shahs to the present regime and the fight for truth.

• Pahlavi-era modernisation and White Revolution reforms
• context for judging the Shah versus the theocracy
• scale of executions and repression under the Islamic Republic
• political Islam’s regional reach and alliances
• lived censorship: bans on music, chess, perfume, and gatherings
• resistance through culture, education, and private life
• media silence, propaganda, and algorithmic echo chambers
• free speech, platforming, and guarding against disinformation
• hope for a Middle Eastern renaissance led by Iranians

If you enjoy the show, subscribe for uncensored conversations and free speech news from New Zealand and beyond. 

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If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz

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We examine the proposed nursing Code of Conduct through culture, law, and lived reality, asking how far regulation should reach into nurses’ private speech. Deborah Cunliffe and Dr Roderick Mulgan unpack conformity in institutions, the legal test for disrepute, and the chilling effect on whistleblowing and public debate.

• institutional conformity shaping nurse behaviour
• vague standards used to police lawful opinions
• legal threshold for bringing profession into disrepute
• the Cath Simpson case and tribunal process
• difference between offensive speech and clinical harm
• risks to patient safety from silencing and secrecy
• gaps in whistleblowing guidance and training
• submissions needed to clarify personal versus professional spheres
• calls for government-led clarity and regular code review

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If you have any questions, feedback or suggestions, you can contact us at [email protected]

If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz

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Eli discusses the rush to ban social media for under-16s and examines stronger evidence that school structures and heavy homework drive youth distress. Eli Stark Elster makes the case for autonomy, free play, and targeted fixes over blanket bans and digital IDs.

• correlation versus causation in mental health research
• consistent seasonal suicide patterns tied to school terms
• shortcomings of screen‑time metrics and “true‑ish” narratives
• Haidt’s claims, wins on free play, and policy contradictions
• autonomy as a developmental need across human societies
• moral panics, helicopter norms, and shrinking kid freedom
• targeted regulation of algorithms over platform bans
• 2012 shifts: Common Core, homework spikes, and stress
• reforms: less homework, more recess, later start times
• alternatives like Sudbury‑style learner‑led environments
• why evidence, not vibes, should guide child policy

Questions or suggestions? Email [email protected].

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We trace a working life in New Zealand journalism with Yvonne Van Dongen, exploring how subs, travel desks, and lively disagreements shaped stronger reporting, and why today’s monoculture and omissions threaten trust. We compare shoe-leather craft with hot takes and argue for free speech as the backbone of credible media.

• Amsterdam detour to newsroom doors and a bruising AUT interview culture
• Canterbury training, shorthand, and the saving grace of sub-editors
• Weekly-paper freedom, travel budgets, and difficult colleagues with bite
• Building a biography when the subject resists access
• Free speech then as default norm, now as a contested stance
• Monoculture in media, stories not told, and quiet censorship by omission
• Desk takes versus door-knocking: why leaving your seat still matters
• Talking with Tamaki supporters and other unfashionable audiences
• Fire and Fury, awards culture, and credibility gaps
• New platforms, changing minds, and ethics over gotchas

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We dig into the Nursing Council’s draft code with ACT MP Todd Stephenson, asking how far professional standards should reach into private speech. We argue for clear rules tied to patient safety, real whistleblowing paths, and strong protections for lawful off‑duty expression.

• risks in Principle 4 on social media and private views
• why vague words like offensive or ill‑informed invite misuse
• the difference between clinical context and off‑duty speech
• lessons from current complaints and past cases
• the need for clear whistleblowing and error correction
• board composition and the value of frontline voices
• regulatory review, rights under NZBORA, and reform options
• preventing chilling effects during an election year
• pluralism, open debate, and democratic health

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider sharing the podcast with others
If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, you can contact us at [email protected]
If you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nz

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We trace Greg Fleming’s path from charity leader to MP and his decision to learn Te Reo Māori as an adult, linking language revitalisation with a culture of listening and free speech. We test tokenism, compulsion, and what realistic, hopeful goals for Te Reo might look like.

• representing a highly mixed electorate and staying accessible
• dialogue as a proven way to reduce radicalisation
• awkward first steps bringing tikanga into workplace rhythms
• staff learning pathways and hosting community classes
• founding a faith-based immersion college in West Auckland
• confidence, pronunciation, and generous feedback loops
• clarity versus symbolism for government department names
• tokenism risks and how to invite, not force, language growth
• realistic goals for bilingual capacity and teacher limits
• supporting Te Reo in homes, churches, and Parliament

If you have any questions for us, do send them in at [email protected]

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