1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

1.1 This submission on the Education and Training Amendment Bill (No. 2) is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people.

1.2 The Initiative undertakes research that contributes to developing sound public policies in New Zealand. We advocate for the creation of a competitive, open and dynamic economy and a free, prosperous, fair and cohesive society.

1.3 The Initiative's members span the breadth of the New Zealand economy; a thriving university sector is important for economic growth and prosperity as well as for a flourishing and free society. The views expressed in this submission are those of the authors rather than the New Zealand Initiative's members.

1.4 The New Zealand Initiative supports the intention of this bill to protect and enhance academic freedom and institutional neutrality at New Zealand universities. There is now a substantial body of evidence that academic freedom is under threat at our universities, and there is no reason to believe that university managers will fix the problem themselves.

1.5 The Initiative rejects the idea that legislating to protect academic freedom constitutes an infringement on universities’ independence or autonomy. All the bill seeks to do is ensure that the provision for academic freedom already in the Education and Training Act is implemented.   

1.6 The Initiative supports many of the new provisions introduced by the Education and Training Amendment Bill No. 2, including the provisions in support of institutional neutrality and against deplatforming, the establishment of a new internal complaints procedure relating to academic freedom, and the requirement for annual reports on the topic.

1.7 At the same time, the Initiative believes that the legislation needs to be strengthened and that more mechanisms must be included to ensure compliance on the part of universities. Section 5 of this submission outlines compliance mechanisms that could be included while preserving university autonomy. 

1.8 We would welcome the opportunity to appear before the Committee to speak to this submission.