A New Zealand nurse has faced professional misconduct charges after expressing conservative views on transgender issues, leading to significant backlash and “discredit to the nursing profession,” a tribunal has found.
Jennifer Scott, from Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, was absent from her hearing at the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal this week, where she was found guilty of six charges brought by the Nursing Council of New Zealand following two days of evidence.
As reported by Rebel News, the charges stemmed from her activities in 2021 and 2022, including what the New Zealand media labelled as “disinformation” about the Covid-19 vaccine and an “orchestrated campaign” against the transgender community.
Suspended from practice since September 2022, Scott now faces the potential cancellation of her registration. Co-counsel Charlotte Taylor called for censure to “mark the disapproval of the tribunal,” recommending she be barred from reapplying for registration for two years.
Fellow counsel Matthew McClelland KC argued that merely suspending her practising certificate was insufficient, stating, “Ms Scott poses a real risk to the transgender population.”
“Her agenda is to discredit totally transgender, non-binary and the rainbow community, and she does it in a scaremongering, emotive and alarmist way,” McClelland said. “She’s putting forward a very bigoted, radical, extreme view.”
The tribunal heard that Scott shared “anti-vaccine posts” on social media during the Covid-19 crisis and directly criticised the Nursing Council. Her views gained widespread attention in July 2022 during a public submission to the Dunedin City Council about transgender women in female changing facilities, prompting numerous complaints.
A nurse with name suppression testified that Scott’s comments risked “further marginalising the trans community.” An advocate for Dunedin’s queer community expressed concerns for the safety and wellbeing of trans and non-binary individuals due to Scott’s actions, stating, “Jennifer Scott is instigating anti-trans sentiment in our city.”
Tribunal chairman Theo Baker concluded that Scott’s conduct brought discredit to the profession and warranted disciplinary action, with a decision on the penalty to be made within a week.
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