Prevent professional regulatory bodies from ‘policing’ members’ beliefs

The ACT Party says that if elected it will introduce legislation preventing professional regulatory bodies from imposing ideological constraints on members.

The party says that teachers, nurses, real estate agents and other professionals should not face the prospect of disciplinary action for holding lawful opinions that their regulatory body disagrees with.

ACT says its legislation will:

• Ban regulators from disciplining members for lawful expression outside their professional practice.
• Require regulators to remain institutionally neutral on political and ideological issues.
• Restrict mandatory training to matters directly related to professional competence and public safety, not affirmation of contested ideological positions.
• Strengthen judicial oversight so courts can properly rein in regulators that exceed their statutory authority.