Janet Dickson’s campaign strongly criticized the imposition of mandates that infringe upon the fundamental freedom of conscience. A real estate agent in New Zealand, Janet Dickson faces the risk of having her 30-year career cut short for refusing to take a compulsory course on Maori culture and customary behaviors. The New Zealand Real Estate Authority (REA) threatened to cancel her license for five years if she did not comply, prompting Dickson to challenge the authority in court with the support of advocacy group Hobson’s Pledge.
Under current regulations, real estate agents in New Zealand must complete 20 hours of continuing professional development each year to maintain their license. Dickson expressed concern that the REA was overstepping its power by forcing agents to take courses unrelated to their jobs, particularly on contentious topics. In a Facebook post, she called the REAās practice of imposing compulsory courses “woke madness” and vowed to fight against it to protect others from facing a similar fate.
Dickson is seeking a judicial review in the New Zealand High Court to challenge the REA’s authority to impose compulsory courses. She believes that addressing this alleged overreach is essential and could set a precedent for other professional organizations. Her campaign is seeking donations from the public to cover part of her legal fees. Don Brash, the founder of Hobson’s Pledge and former Reserve Bank of New Zealand governor, criticized the REA’s “draconian” rules for attempting to impose a specific worldview not shared by the majority of New Zealanders.
On the other hand, Bernie OāDonnell, a Poutaki MÄtauranga Maori adviser at the University of Auckland, emphasized the importance of understanding Maori culture for real estate agents due to the nature of their business. He noted that it was crucial for agents to grasp the history of the country and make an effort to understand the indigenous people’s worldview. Despite the complex history of the land, O’Donnell highlighted the necessity of engaging with Maori culture in the modern world to conduct business effectively.