Source: Tertiary Education Union
Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union (TEU) says new freedom of expression complaints powers risk being used against academic staff, particularly Māori academics and other staff already facing organised public attacks.
New research from Enclosure by Statement, released by Massey University’s Centre for Culture-Centered Approach to Research and Evaluation (CARE), supports concerns that union members have raised for the past three years.
Te Tumu Whakarae Māori | National President Māori, Associate Professor Garrick Cooper, says the new complaints process could give organised campaigns against academics a formal pathway into universities.
“Some of our members have already experienced coordinated complaints, social media attacks, and political pressure aimed at individual staff members.”
“The concern is that the new complaints system will make it easier for these campaigns to target academics, particularly those teaching subjects such as Te Tiriti o Waitangi, colonisation, and other issues that attract public controversy.”
The research analysed Ministry of Education documents related to the development of the Education and Training Amendment Act 2025 and found limited evidence that concerns raised by staff and marginalised communities were reflected in the final policy.
Staff must have a voice
Union members are calling on universities to make staff a part of the decision-making processes that design, implement and evaluate academic freedom policies.
“We want policies that protect academic freedom while also protecting staff from harassment, vexatious complaints, and organised campaigns,” says Cooper.
“We need strong protections for staff most likely to be targeted, including Māori, Pasifika, migrant academics of colour, women, gender-diverse staff, and early-career academics.”
Notes for editors:
Research launch
Enclosure by Statement: A Culture-Centred Analysis of the Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression Provisions of the Education and Training Amendment Act 2025
Associate Professor Garrick Cooper in conversation with Professor Mohan Dutta.
Wednesday 28 October 2026, 12.30pm NZST
Zoom: https://massey.zoom.us/j/82976632619
The event is free and open to the public. Journalists are welcome to attend.