Summarised by Centrist
The government isn’t just softening penalties for realtors who refuse compulsory Māori studies—it’s moving to scrap the mandate altogether.
After the High Court dismissed Auckland agent Janet Dickson’s challenge to the Te Kākano course requirement, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee introduced a bill stripping the Real Estate Authority (REA) of its power to impose five-year bans for non-compliance. But McKee’s intervention goes further.
McKee revealed she had already warned the REA last year that the course lacked industry relevance and urged a refocus of training requirements.
Lobby group Hobson’s Pledge called the ruling “outrageous” and accused professional bodies of pushing ideological agendas. The Free Speech Union warned the case highlights “compelled speech” in regulatory training, calling for new laws to prevent ideological mandates in licensed professions.
Justice Helen McQueen upheld the REA’s authority to enforce the rule, but even she acknowledged that a five-year ban was “harsh.” McKee’s fast-tracked legislative response signals a broader government push to dismantle politically driven training requirements, not just adjust penalties for non-compliance.
Image: Jane Nearing
