Nurses, Speech, And The Line - Todd Stephenson MP

We dig into the Nursing Council’s draft code with ACT MP Todd Stephenson, asking how far professional standards should reach into private speech. We argue for clear rules tied to patient safety, real whistleblowing paths, and strong protections for lawful off‑duty expression.• risks in Principle 4 on social media and private views• why vague words like offensive or ill‑informed invite misuse• the difference between clinical context and off‑duty speech• lessons from current complaints and past cases• the need for clear whistleblowing and error correction• board composition and the value of frontline voices• regulatory review, rights under NZBORA, and reform options• preventing chilling effects during an election year• pluralism, open debate, and democratic healthIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and consider sharing the podcast with othersIf you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, you can contact us at [email protected] you want to find out more about the New Zealand Free Speech Union, visit fsu.nzSupport the showhttps://www.fsu.nz/https://x.com/NZFreeSpeechhttps://www.instagram.com/freespeechnz/https://www.tiktok.com/@freespeechunionnz