Chief Stipe Posted 1 hour ago Posted 1 hour ago Veterinary Council puts an ex-vet on a short leash | Free Speech Union New Zealand www.fsu.nz Why has the Veterinary Council put an ex-vet on a short leash? Someone who hasn’t even practised as a vet for over a decade? The Veterinary Council has censured Leo Molloy, ordering him to pay $23,000 in costs more than four years after his conviction for breaching a suppression order.https://bitofayarn.com But the courts have already dealt with this, so why is a professional regulator coming after him? Did Leo disclose the home address of a sick Labrador? Selective breeding details? Client records? The vaccination status of a tomcat? No. Did a member of the public, a past client, or a practising vet complain about Leo’s conduct as a vet? No. His offence had nothing to do with treating animals, maintaining veterinary confidence, or professional ethics. This was personal speech, not a professional act. https://bitofayarn.com Yet the Veterinary Council has taken it upon itself to, well, neuter, speech that falls far beyond the pens of 'permitted' opinion. (Yep, the story is as ridiculous as my puns. 😸 ) The Veterinary Council is following the dangerous trend that we continue to see New Zealand regulatory bodies follow. If regulators can punish, and fine, professionals for off-duty speech, even decades after they last practised, then we have a much bigger problem than one outspoken ex-vet.https://bitofayarn.com Six years ago, Leo Molloy posted on a racing community forum naming Grace Millane’s murderer, Jesse Kempson, while his name was suppressed. Leo was convicted and sentenced to 350 hours of community service and a $15,000 fine. https://bitofayarn.com This isn’t even to mention the futility of Leo’s conviction in the first place. International outlets published Jesse Kempson’s name with zero consequence. Google emailed it directly to New Zealand inboxes and got a polite warning. Multiple New Zealanders were cautioned but not prosecuted.https://bitofayarn.com Leo remains the only person convicted and now the only person professionally sanctioned. It’s hard not to conclude that the Veterinary Council’s issue isn’t the conduct, but the dog that did the barking. The inconsistency of enforcement reeks more of overreach than principle. Name suppression has become a joke, dished out liberally, limiting the public’s ability to know the details of a case, and the media’s ability to tell them. Why are criminals, pedophiles, even murderers, being favoured over public safety and our crucial democratic values? https://bitofayarn.com Now, six years after Leo’s breach, and more than a decade after he has even practiced as a vet, the Veterinary Council’s disciplinary lawyer argued that “professional obligations don’t end when we close the office door.” But which part of Leo’s conviction had anything to do with his profession? Professional bodies should focus on their role as skill-based watchdogs, not policing "un-vet'-like behaviour that happens to personally offend them.https://bitofayarn.com According to our sources, the Veterinary Council has spent an excess of $45,000 to pursue this complaint. $45,000! They need a wake up call. Let’s send the message that we actually think more favourably of the veterinary profession if they aren't afraid to speak their minds. But that the Veterinary Council should stick to their remit: the skills and professional conduct of its members. In 30 seconds, tell the Veterinary Council to stay in its lane. We’ve made it super easy. Let’s make sure they know that Kiwis won’t stand by while they’re on their high horse. Regulatory overreach has become a consistent problem, whether against nurses, lawyers, academics, architects, or teachers, to name a handful. So now it’s vets? Who’s next? Professional bodies seem less concerned about the skills and abilities of professionals, and more with what they say in private capacities. That’s why we set up seven professional memberships, along with our standard membership, for: Academics, lawyers, public servants, teachers, healthcare professionals, media, and religious leaders. We ensure professionals have someone in their corner. We will not stand by while the would-be-censors decide they know best. Chip in here to support us to push back on regulatory body overreach; standards should ensure competence, not control speech or belief. Jillaine Heather | Chief Executive Quote
Freda Posted 6 minutes ago Posted 6 minutes ago (edited) WTF....? I've been on the wrong end of Leo's acerbic criticism, many a time. But this, if not a piss-take, is disgraceful. Edited 5 minutes ago by Freda Quote
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