Professor implies Govt was ‘death cult’

Wellington’s university is in discussions with a professor after she claimed the Government “hates children” and asked online whether it was a “death-cult”, following the announcement of a “military-style” youth academy trial.

Director of the Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Professor Joanna Kidman, hit out on social media on Tuesday night, launching accusations at the Government on X. Kidman tweeted that there was “so much evidence that military-style youth boot camps don’t work and are expensive, that I can only assume that this government hates children”.

“Is this a government or a death-cult?” she asked online.

Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington deputy vice-chancellor research professor Margaret Hyland said the university was discussing the matter with Kidman.

“Some of the language used in Professor Kidman’s social media post does not support an inclusive conversation.”

Victoria University hosts the anti-extremism centre.

Kidman’s X account has been made private following a backlash at the tweets.

The ACT Party has since responded to the allegations, with public service spokesman Todd Stephenson calling it ironic that an anti-extremism campaigner was using such rhetoric. “The call is coming from inside the building!”

Stephenson said statements such as Kidman’s shouldn’t be happening on the taxpayer dollar, and on the credibility of the prime minister’s department.

The centre was launched by then-PM Jacinda Ardern in 2022, as a vessel to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the terrorist attack in Christchurch.

Kidman and Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley were appointed directors of the centre.