Media Release: Seymour Weaponised Office to Harass Academics, Luxon Must Act

Thursday, 26 June 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WELLINGTON, NZ – In a letter sent to the Prime Minister today, Rights Aotearoa condemns Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour for weaponising his office to launch a vicious online harassment campaign against academics. This is not free speech; it is a state-sanctioned pile-on designed to silence dissent and intimidate experts, representing a dangerous breach of the Cabinet Manual's code of conduct. Prime Minister Luxon must stop making excuses for his ministers, enforce his own government's rules, and immediately sanction his deputy to prove that no one is above accountability.

Rights Aotearoa’s letter to the Prime Minister can be found here:

https://www.rightsaotearoa.nz/letter-to-the-prime-minister-re-dpm/

ENDS