New Zealand agrees with banning conversion therapy after Judith Collins googles it

The National Party has committed to banning conversion therapy in New Zealand after leader Judith Collins googled it. Collins said on Tuesday the party is all opposed to conversion therapy and looks forward to the Bill presented to them. We think that's the right thing to do.

Conversion therapy is the practice of trying to change an individual's sexual or gender orientation using psychological, physical or spiritual interventions. Last week, Collins said they had no position on whether conversion therapy should be banned in the country.

But when asked how she reached the decision on supporting the ban on Tuesday, Collins responded, well I used this thing called Google to find out more about it. I also listened to people like Young Nationals who are very progressive on such issues and they were very helpful.

National MP Simon Bridges came under fire on Friday after he said banning conversion therapy is an attack on free speech.

He said, I personally do have a wider concern. That is freedom of speech. That is in a liberal society, in a tolerant society, we have been very tolerant of different views. We are, with this, moving down a track to a situation where it is actually 'cancel culture. If we don't like it we are going to criminalise it and I do worry about that.