Freedom of Speech
Ideas & Liberty / Freedom of Speech
Free speech is one of the bulwarks of individual liberty. Australians should have the right to express a viewpoint without fearing they will be dragged in front of a judge or jury. But free speech is under threat. New "rights" like the "right not to be offended" are supplanting the basic right to free expression. And governments unhappy with political criticism are increasingly seeking to regulate what they view as a hostile media.
News
When does mission creep become censorship?
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is completely out of control. The corporate regulator is an independent government agency. It...
Anything you don't say may be used against you
The first sentence of the press release announcing the New South Wales Government's changes to the right to silence read: "The scales of justice...
Our freedoms safe - for now
The Gillard government's backdown on its outrageous media regulation and anti-free-speech discrimination laws is welcome. But it's terrible that in...
Media reform and a missed opportunity
Has Stephen Conroy forgotten why he began this media debate? It wasn't because of the phone hacking scandal in the United Kingdom. Nor was it Bob...
Selling out press for a bit of pork
The spotlight is on Bob Katter, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to see whether they'll sell out our universal human right to free speech for some...
Conroy's media regulation proposals fail the public interest test
All politicians are self-interested. But few are as shameless as Communications Minister Stephen Conroy. His proposed "media reforms" may be a...
Publications
Freedom of speech threatened by Tasmanian bill
"Proposed changes contained in the Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2013 threaten freedom of speech and freedom of conscience," said Simon Breheny, director of the Legal Rights Project at free market think tank the Institute of...
Emails to IPA members
From: John Roskam Sent: Tuesday, 19 March 2013 5:19 PM To: IPA members Subject: Announcement to IPA members - former High Court judge, Ian Callinan AC QC to advise IPA on media laws Dear IPA member, I'm writing to let all Institute of Public...
IPA welcomes dumping of media laws
"The Gillard government's decision to abandon its proposal to regulate the media is a victory for freedom of speech in Australia," said Chris Berg, director of policy at free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs. "The media regulation...
