Over the past few months, Hobson’s Pledge has been campaigning hard for a dedicated Regulated Professions Neutrality Bill.
Our campaign, Professionals, Not Politicians, was launched with a simple premise: Kiwi workers should be evaluated on their competence and ethics, not forced to adopt political or ideological positions just to earn a living.
Unfortunately, we see ideological overreach creeping into everyday workplaces all the time, and hard-working professionals are fed up. Teachers, health workers, real estate agents, and many others are routinely dragged away from their actual jobs to sit through unnecessary cultural competency training or participate in all but mandatory karakia and waiata. This isn't just a waste of time and money; it’s an overreach that forces individuals to conform to a specific political (and spiritual) agenda under threat of losing their livelihood.
We saw the absurdity of the status quo with real estate agent Janet Dickson, who faced severe disciplinary action simply for challenging mandatory cultural training that had nothing to do with selling houses.
While we have seen some encouraging movements from the Coalition Government recently, piecemeal fixes will not solve the underlying problem.
Recent Progress in Health and Real Estate
Our lawyers recently received a response from Minister of Health Simeon Brown regarding our proposed policy brief to ensure professions remained neutral on political and other matters.
Minister Brown explicitly agreed with our concerns, noting he has requested advice on health regulators acting "beyond what is necessary to support patient-focused care." He pointed to proposed amendments to the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act as his solution for the health sector. This is a very welcome step forward.
Similarly, we acknowledge ACT and Minister Nicole McKee for taking action in the real estate sector. These changes ensure future real estate agents won't face five-year licence cancellations for expressing personal views. However, as positive as this move is, it does not resolve Janet Dickson’s ongoing struggle and costs as she continues her fight, nor does it protect workers in other industries.
You can support us in this fight today by:
1. If you haven't already, you can send an urgent message to Parliament's Leaders demanding an end to workplace indoctrination.
2. Support our fight financially. Hobson’s Pledge doesn't take a single cent of taxpayer money. We answer only to everyday New Zealanders who are sick of watching our public institutions and workplaces be hijacked by divisive policies. You can chip in here.
Why the Government Must Finish the Job
While Minister Brown’s actions in health and Minister McKee’s adjustments in real estate are steps in the right direction, a targeted, sector-by-sector response leaves thousands of other New Zealanders exposed. Ideological overreach is not isolated to medicine or real estate—it affects teachers, lawyers, engineers, accountants, and many other professions up and down the country.
Playing regulatory whack-a-mole by patching up individual Acts as public outcry occurs is inefficient and incomplete. We are urging the Government to take Simeon Brown’s good work and apply it across the board.
We need a single, overarching Political Neutrality Bill that binds all regulatory bodies to their core purposes: public safety, professional competence, and high ethical standards.
We also need to see Janet vindicated. Here at Hobson’s Pledge, we continue to support her as she stands up to the Real Estate Agents Disciplinary Tribunal. Despite the changes made, Janet is still having to fight for her rights.
Thank you for your ongoing support as we push Parliament to protect Kiwi workers and restore neutrality to our professions.
