<p>The concept of academic freedom remains contested globally, with increasing threats to academic expression appearing across different national contexts. New Zealand offers a unique case study as one of the few countries with comprehensive legal protection of academic freedom enshrined in education legislation. This paper examines how legislative protection of academic freedom has functioned in practice by comparing academic freedom controversies before and after its introduction into New Zealand law. Despite detailed legal provisions, we find that unclear definitions, inadequate guidelines, and the neoliberal restructuring of higher education have created persistent challenges in distinguishing between individual expertise and opinion and between institutional and individual responsibilities. These findings provide important insights for international debates about academic freedom, suggesting that legislation alone is insufficient protection without clear operational guidelines and protections from economic pressures that create conflicting institutional priorities. The paper contributes to a global understanding of how academic freedom can be better protected in increasingly polarised political environments.</p>