A New Zealand civil liberties organisation is calling on the Government to pause education legislation it says would hand unelected officials broad new powers over homeschooling families.

PILLAR, which stands for Protecting Individual Life, Liberty and Rights, describes itself as a civil liberties advocacy group working to defend freedoms including speech, conscience, privacy and assembly through court action, legislative reform and public campaigns.

The group has raised concerns about last minute amendments to the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, warning the changes would give the Secretary of Education wide discretionary powers to regulate how homeschooling is conducted without meaningful public consultation.

The homeschooling specific amendment proposes clearer requirements for home education, including regulatory conditions families would need to meet to maintain exemptions from school enrolment.

The Government framed the changes as a child safety measure, but critics pushed back strongly.

The National Council of Home Educators New Zealand said the amendments left the door open for the Ministry of Education to impose future regulatory changes, with government liaison Cynthia Hancox warning there was no clear limit on what could eventually be required.

Hancox said the proposal carried an implicit message for homeschooling families: comply or risk losing your exemption.

PILLAR Head of Education and Partnerships Nick Hanne said the amendments lacked adequate limits and democratic oversight.

“These amendments would allow unelected officials to impose almost any future regulation they see fit on homeschooling families, all without proper parliamentary scrutiny or public consultation,” Hanne said.

Hanne said vague child safety language was being used to justify open ended state power, drawing comparisons to other recent policy proposals.

“We’ve seen similar arguments used to justify online censorship proposals and restrictions on young people’s access to digital platforms. Child safety is critically important, but it cannot become an excuse for unlimited bureaucratic authority.

“Homeschooling has long been a legitimate and valued part of New Zealand’s education system, and that educational diversity acts as a safeguard against excessive centralisation.

“The right of parents to direct the education of their children is a fundamental liberty in any free society,” Hanne said.

“A healthy democracy should make room for different educational approaches rather than concentrating more control in Wellington.”

The group is calling on the Minister of Education to halt the bill before its third reading and consult with the homeschooling sector before the new powers are enacted.

“Major regulatory powers affecting family life should never be rushed through Parliament without transparent public consultation,” Hanne said.

“Families deserve clarity about how these powers could be used in practice and what protections exist against overreach.”