Free Speech Coalition
The Free Speech Coalition is calling on the Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes to revoke new rules which came into effect on Monday which apply rules of political neutrality onto DHB members – including those elected by the public.
“Requiring politicians to act in a ‘politically impartial manner’ represents a fundamental misunderstanding of how democratic accountability and debate works,” says Jordan Williams, a lawyer and member of the Free Speech Coalition.
“It’s right that public servants should be and are seen to be politically neutral, but applying that to democratically elected positions is overreach.”
“You can’t have democratic accountability if those you are supposed to govern have a gag on what you can and cannot say to the public and media.”
“We’re starting to see these sorts of rules creep into local government too. They are inconsistent with democratic accountability, free speech, and debate. If a politician can’t act as a whistle-blower or publicly hold colleagues to account, how does Mr Hughes expect transparency to work?”
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