Lighting the fuse
Massey University’s move to stop former politician Don Brash from speaking at the Manawatu¯ campus has been decried as censorship and a capitulation in the face of veiled threats.
Vice-chancellor Jan Thomas, who cited security concerns and other reasons for her decision, is facing a call to resign because of her failure to uphold free speech.
Brash was invited to the university by the student Politics Society to talk about the National Party.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called Massey University’s refusal to host Brash an ‘‘over-reaction’’.
Ardern said over the years there had been numerous examples of politicians and expoliticians speaking on university campuses, often causing ‘‘a stir’’.
The university considered putting on extra security, but decided the risk of harm to students, staff and the public was too high against a backdrop of Brash’s ‘‘support’’ for controversial Canadian speakers Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux.
Thomas said she supported free speech on campus, but totally opposed hate speech.
Free Speech Coalition spokesman David Cumin said Thomas’ capitulation was ‘‘disgraceful’’.
‘‘Publicly funded universities in New Zealand and across the Western world have a proud tradition of upholding freedom of speech.
‘‘If we allow the ‘heckler’s veto’ to shut down contentious speech at a university, a place that should be a bastion of free expression, what hope can we have for free speech anywhere else?’’
ACT leader David Seymour called for Thomas’ resignation. He said the former Reserve Bank governor and ex-national Party leader should be able to speak and express views some might disagree with.
Thomas said the university’s decision was not just about security.
‘‘Mr Brash’s leadership of Hobson’s Pledge and views he and its supporters espoused in relation to
Ma¯ori wards on councils was clearly of concern to many staff, particularly
Ma¯ori staff.
‘‘In my opinion, the views expressed by members of
Hobson’s Pledge come dangerously close to hate speech. They are certainly not conducive with the university’s strategy of recognising the values of a Tiriti o Waitangi-led organisation.’’ Brash laid into the university. ‘‘I believe the vice-chancellor’s position is a disgraceful contradiction of publicly funded universities’ role in hosting robust debate and the free exchange of ideas.’’ Brash said he supported the right of Southern and Molyneux, whose speaking engagement in Auckland was canned amid security concerns, to express their views. This was not the same as endorsing their views.
The man who lit the fuse leading to Brash’s ban has no regrets, and denies threatening anyone. Karl Pearce, who wrote a letter to Thomas, said he never
‘‘I believe the vicechancellor’s position is a disgraceful contradiction of publicly funded universities’ role in hosting robust debate and the free exchange of ideas.’’ Don Brash
‘‘In my opinion, the views expressed by members of Hobson’s Pledge come dangerously close to hate speech.’’ Massey University vice-chancellor Jan Thomas
intended to do anything more than wave a sign and make a statement in protest.
Pearce said he supported her decision, but he thought commentators had misinterpreted what he wrote if they thought it was some sort of security threat.
‘‘Remember in light of their type of ‘Free Speech’ does not come Free of Consequences,’’ he wrote.
Pearce said the consequences he was talking about were the hurt and possible backlash against those vilified by Brash’s type of ‘‘separatist and supremacist rhetoric’’.
Massey University Politics Society spokesman Michael Curtis said the members were disappointed and a little surprised by the university’s move.
Students have responded by organising a protest to be held at the concourse from 11am today, arguing students have the right to make up their own minds about issues.