ℙ𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕒 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥 '𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕚-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔' - 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕 𝕊𝕖𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣

𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔼𝕕𝕦𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕕 𝕊𝕖𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕤𝕥𝕡𝕠𝕟𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕖𝕔𝕙 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕒 𝕌𝕟𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕚𝕤 "𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕚-𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕔".

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eymour described the Wellington-based university's decision as such in an X post on Friday. 

"Here we have the tragi-comic spectacle of a debate on free speech being shut down because students are 'freaked out' that it includes 'right wing' voices," he said. 

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"I've read about lions on the yellow brick road showing more courage than the university leadership here. 

Here we have the tragi-comic spectacle of a debate on free speech being shut down because students are “freaked out” that it includes “right wing” voices.

I've read about lions on the yellow brick road showing more courage than the university leadership here. pic.twitter.com/dYS0jXkZSd

— David Seymour (@dbseymour) April 26, 2024

"Taxpayers fund universities to expose students to new ideas. If that's no longer the case, the dangerous corollary is that universities are only there to reinforce students' prejudices," the ACT Party leader added. 

The event due to take place on Monday, 'Freedom of Speech - The Role of Universities: A Panel Debate', was postponed earlier this week due to the university needing "more time to ensure we have the right contributors and the most effective format to have a robust, engaging and thought-provoking conversation", it said in a statement.

"We know there is genuine interest in discussing this topic. However, we are also aware of the strength of people's views on this topic and the importance of having a cross-section of balanced and representative views in the discussion." 

Marcail Parkinson, the president of the university's student association, told The Post students had "freaked out" after seeing the panel line-up because it appeared to be a "right wing voices" platform. 

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Michael Johnston from the New Zealand Initiative think tank and the Free Speech Union's Jonathan Ayling were among those to be involved in the panel. 

"That's 100 percent the right thing to do in this scenario, when you make a mistake, to say actually we realise we made a mistake and we're going to try and fix it," Parkinson told The Post of the postponement decision. 

The university said it was "committed to holding this event and intend to confirm a new date soon".

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