Free To Speak
Free to Speak is the New Zealand podcast that goes beyond headlines to explore the principles behind our most contentious debates.
Produced by the New Zealand Free Speech Union, it examines freedom of expression and why it matters to a free and democratic society.
Expect interviews with guests from New Zealand and around the world, plus deep dives with our Council into the cases and policy work shaping free speech today.
Any questions, queries or feedback? Email: podcast@fsu.nz
www.fsu.nz
Podcasting since 2019 • 181 episodes
Free To Speak
Latest Episodes
The Second COVID Inquiry - Ani O'Brien on Dissent & Censorship During Coronavirus
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 cr...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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1:06:09
From Shah To Theocracy: An Iranian Activist’s Roadmap To Renewal - Dr Forough Amin
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 Sh...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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1:10:52
How Far Should Professional Standards Reach Into A Nurse’s Private Life - Dr Roderick Mulgan and Deborah Cunliffe
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 te...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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45:32
School Stresses Kids More Than Social Media Does - Eli Stark Elster
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 ban...
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Season 6
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Episode 7
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1:00:27
Who Gets To Speak When The Media Becomes A Monoculture - Yvonne van Dongen
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 cr...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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1:14:19