Big announcement: Climate Change: The Facts 2020 is on its way. Click here to make a tax deductible donation to its publication and here to read Dr Peter Ridd’s letter on why the publication of this book is so important.
It’s been a big week for freedom of speech on climate change! The Federal Circuit Court said on Friday James Cook University is to pay Dr Peter Ridd $1.2 million in damages as a result of the wrongful dismissal legal case. Gideon Rozner said the decision “vindicates Peter Ridd’s fight for academic freedom, free speech and integrity of climate science and peer review.”
Victoria is still a chance to see “18c on steroids”. Premier Daniel Andrews wouldn’t rule out supporting Fiona Patten’s proposal to extend speech regulations. Morgan Begg said last Friday Patten’s proposals have “no objective standard” as “each judge will have their own view on what is ‘likely to incite hatred’ or ‘severe ridicule'”.
Gideon Rozner told Sky News Kenny Report “every single freedom loving person in this country should be writing into” the upcoming committee on Patten’s bill “to make their objections known.”
Jacinta Price’s tour of Australia is underway and crowds are loving it – but the Coffs Harbour City Council are not. They asked Jacinta to seek permission from the local Indigenous leaders to enter their lands for her Coffs Harbour event. I wonder if any of the other 1.6 million visitors to Coffs Harbour per year get asked to seek permission? Click here for tickets to the last stops on the tour in Brisbane and Toowoomba.
Beloved children’s television character Fireman Sam has been axed from Lincolnshire fire department because the local fire chiefs believe he is putting off females from becoming firefighters. By their logic surely the new fire extinguisher mascots that replaced Fireman Sam would put all humans off applying?
Remember one of the great economic debates of our time from 2010 – the rap battle between Hayek and Keynes? If you enjoyed that you’ll love this new debate from the people behind Epic Rap Battles Of History between Alexander Hamilton and Satoshi Nakamoto over central banking and bitcoin.
Article of the week:
Man has debated whether or not free will exists for centuries, and a landmark study from the University of Freiburg in 1964 has been held by many in the neuroscience community as evidence free will is a myth. However, Bahar Gholipour in The Atlantic on Tuesday covered a fascinating new development in neuroscience which debunks that study. You can choose to read it or not.
IPA Staff Pick:
Each week an IPA staff member shares what they have enjoyed recently. Today: Daniel Wild
Last week the Catholic University of America hosted a debate between David French and Sohrab Ahmari, moderated by Ross Douthat about the future of conservatism and liberalism. Ahmari is highly critical of those on the right, such as French, that he considers willing to accept the political defaults established by the left. French, by contract, argues that civility and following principle, even if that entails losing on certain political issues, is of a higher order concern. This article by Ramona Tausz in First Things provides a good summary.
Here’s what else the IPA said this week:
- Evan Mulholland, ABC is beyond redemption, it should be privatised – Sky News Kenny on Media
- Renee Gorman, Free speech crisis on campus – Sky News Credlin
- Kurt Wallace, Boom or bubble with Trump – IPA Review
- Dr Bella d’Abrera, Get woke go broke – IPA Review
- Daniel Wild, IPA welcomes red tape reduction vision – Media Release
