New Zealand Free Speech Union
Despite its connections to the right-wing New Zealand Taxpayers' Union, the group also claims support from both sides of the political and ideological spectrum.
[6] Since 2021, the NZ Free Speech Union is led by chief executive Jonathan Ayling, a former adviser to National Party Members of Parliament David Bennett and Simeon Brown.
[5] The Free Speech Union was first established as the Free Speech Coalition by four people including lawyer, lobbyist, and New Zealand Taxpayers' Union founder Jordan Williams in July 2018 in response to the Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff's decision to cancel a speaking event featuring alt-right speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux at an Auckland Council-owned venue.
[22] The reading session organised by "Pride Fest Out West" had been picketed by protesters who claimed that the event promoted child grooming.
[23][24] On 15 March 2024, the FSU communicated its concerns to Leader of the House Chris Bishop about the National-led coalition government's repeated use of "urgency" in its first 100 days in power.
The FSU advised that bills passed under urgency get less scrutiny from MPs and the public, and can become law without going through the full Select Committee process.
In response, Bishop disagreed with the FSU's concerns that passing legislation under urgency amounted to a free speech issue and cancelled his membership.
[25] In mid April 2024, the Free Speech Union joined members of the Black Power gang, the Human Rights Commission, Children and Young People's Commission and the New Zealand Law Society in criticising the National-led government's proposed Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill during its select committee stage.
[26] 475 In late April 2024, Victoria University of Wellington's student magazine Salient sub-editor Henry Broadbent criticised the inclusion of FSU President Ayling's inclusion at a scheduled free speech event due to Ayling and the group's support for controversial anti-co-governance activist Julian Batchelor, and anti-transgender advocates Graham Linehan and Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull ("Posie Parker").
Salient met with VUW Provost/Acting Vice Chancellor Bryony James and Director of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor Reece Moores to express their concerns.
Protest groups Queer Endurance In Defiance, the Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition and Wellington City Council Māori Ward Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera had called for the conference to be cancelled for allegedly promoting transphobia.
[31] After Penk granted Owens a visa to enter New Zealand, Ayling welcomed the Minister's decision, stating "It's up to individuals to decide who they want to listen to, not the Government.
