Nurse Sacked for "Reputational Risk" After Winning Her Case

Jillaine Heather, executive director of the Free Speech Union, discusses two recent free speech flashpoints: a Media Council ruling that there's no "right not to be offended" when media accurately quote politicians' colourful language, and the troubling case of nurse Kath Simpson. Ms Heather explains the Union backed Simpson after the Nursing Council sought to strike her off over lawful, if "spicy", private social media posts on immigration and abortion law.

Ms Heather warns that despite a tribunal issuing only a two-month suspension and Simpson having since worked without incident, Health New Zealand dismissed her for serious misconduct citing potential reputational harm - and controversially cited her mounting a defence (with Union support) as evidence of increased risk. She argues this "Kafkaesque" weaponisation of harm and safety rhetoric sends a chilling message to health professionals against holding personal opinions, with the Union now appealing the decision and campaigning on professional regulators' overreach ([www.fsu.nz](https://www.fsu.nz)).

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