By Press Release
3 July 2025
Doctors across New
Zealand say they are being silenced from speaking out about
potentially dangerous conditions in the public health
system鈥攆earing employment consequences, professional
isolation, and even job loss. Some have chosen early
retirement rather than continue working under what they
describe as a 鈥渃limate of fear,鈥 raising serious
concerns about public safety.
Liang, a respected medical specialist and writer, surveyed
colleagues across the health sector for an article published
by North & South. She received dozens of
anonymous responses, revealing a consistent and alarming
theme: doctors do not feel safe to speak publicly鈥攅ven
when patient wellbeing is at
鈥淔eeling safe is a rare feeling
among most of my colleagues right now,鈥 says Dr Liang.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a real fear that just speaking out will draw a
target on your back.鈥
Under current contractual
obligations, senior doctors are required to report safety
issues鈥攂ut many say that doing so can result in formal
complaints, retaliation, or even termination.
anonymous doctor described the pressure
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen anything like the
current environment. The public should be demanding
transparency鈥攎onthly updates from every hospital
department about staff losses, waiting times,
under-resourcing. It鈥檚 so much worse than people
Dr Liang asked her colleagues two simple
Would you feel comfortable speaking to
the media about important health issues in your area of
expertise? If not, why not?Do you believe
clinicians are being explicitly or implicitly discouraged
from making public comment?
The responses came
in within hours鈥攆rom junior doctors to senior clinicians
and health leaders. The overwhelming consensus: it
is unsafe to speak out鈥攚hether in public
hospitals or even in primary care.
鈥淗R processes are
being weaponised to silence otherwise powerful
professionals,鈥 says Dr Liang. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 just about
protecting reputations鈥攊t鈥檚 costing
Further inflaming the issue, Deputy Prime
Minister David Seymour recently referred to health
professionals as 鈥渕uppets,鈥 a comment that many in the
sector found demeaning and dangerous. Seymour also mocked Dr
George Laking, a prominent medical oncologist, via a social
media meme after Laking expressed concern over proposed
legislative changes to health regulation.
politicians attack experts, it sends a chilling message
across the system,鈥 says Dr Liang. 鈥淚nstead of
addressing the issues, they鈥檙e using public platforms to
intimidate and deflect.鈥
Doctors also report deep
concern over job insecurity鈥攑articularly for those on
temporary contracts, locum placements, or in training roles.
One respondent said:
鈥淓ven contacting my MP feels
risky. You wonder how deep the influence goes. With no job
security, speaking out could blacklist you from future
The impact on the health system is already
being felt, says Dr Liang:
鈥淎t least three
colleagues I know personally have taken early retirement
because they couldn鈥檛 raise safety concerns without fear
of reprisal. Others are leaving quietly, wracked with
Haematologist Dr Ruth Spearing CNZM
鈥淪peaking out is so important. I鈥檇
be lying if I said I didn鈥檛 feel fear鈥攂ut it was worth
Dr Liang concludes:
鈥淭he public
deserves transparency. Instead, clinicians are being
silenced by a system more focused on managing optics than
fixing structural issues. And when that happens鈥攑atients
鈥淐linical decision making requires good
communication; we need to be able to talk openly about
systems issues if we鈥檙e to reduce clinical errors. How can
we advocate for the things our health system needs to be
urgently better at if we can鈥檛 even call out what is
happening? How can we continue to practice ethically and
漏 Scoop Media