“Academic freedom definitely does not exist is the lesson that should be learnt”. That’s the key takeaway of the special edition of The Looking Forward Podcast with Dr Peter Ridd to be released tomorrow at 7am.
Peter explains why he decided to stand up for freedom of speech on climate change and what the legacy of his case will be. Subscribe to The Looking Forward Podcast so that the special edition arrives automatically on your phone tomorrow morning on any podcast app you choose, and for Apple Podcasts click here.
Almost as important as academic freedom is freedom at the footy! Collingwood superfan Jeff “Joffa” Corfe told The Young IPA Podcast yesterday that “extreme left wing lunatics” were ruining the game and that he enjoyed the podcast so much, he might send it to AFL CEO Gil McLachlan!
The communists in Beijing hate the example of Hong Kong (and Taiwan) because they show that “Chinese people, in some places, can live freely and democratically” wrote the National Review editors on Tuesday. But they also warned that the announcement of the suspension of the Chinese extradition bill on Sunday would only “keep the noose relatively loose.”
Facebook’s announcement of its new cryptocurrency Libra this week changed “the global monetary system” irreversibly wrote Dr Chris Berg, Prof Sinclair Davidson and Prof Jason Potts in the AFR today. As they say “the world’s first private international reserve currency” is an opportunity for Australia to become a currency haven.
I knew there is a reason Oasis is my favourite band. On the weekend Noel Gallagher said that a second Brexit vote would be “fascism. Straight up” and “if you don’t like the outcome, go to North Korea”. (Warning: Noel dropped a few naughty words in the interview.)
CPAC is coming to Australia for the first time! If you’re in Sydney from August 9-11 come along to see Nigel Farage, Matt Schlapp and incoming IPA Chairman Janet Albrechtsen. And for 20% off tickets for Hey readers – be sure to use the promo code IPA-CPAC at checkout. Details and tickets here.
You really are spoilt for choice that weekend. If you’re in Melbourne, see Alan Jones AO and Professor Geoffrey Blainey AC at the Samuel Griffith Society’s 30th Annual Conference. Click here for more details of this fantastic event.
Please support the IPA’s End of Financial Year Appeal! To read John Roskam’s letter on why Australia needs the IPA more than ever and how we will use your donation, click here. To donate to our research, click here.
Article of the week:
In post-Christian America “the mighty secular institutions of the cultural elite are…increasingly vindictive” wrote David French in National Review on Monday following Harvard’s gutless capitulation to the mob in rescinding its offer of admission to Parkland shooting survivor Kyle Kashuv.
IPA Staff Pick:
Each week an IPA staff member shares what they have enjoyed recently. Today: Andrew Bushnell
If you have ever wondered what exactly happened to MH370, the plane that disappeared over the Indian Ocean in 2014, this 10,000 word essay by William Langewiesche in the July edition of The Atlantic provides a fascinating and detailed account. This fine piece of writing has deservedly gone viral and is a reminder of how powerful traditional, factual reporting can be.
Here’s what else the IPA said this week:
- Kurt Wallace, How bureaucratic dark matter is swallowing our wealth – The Spectator Australia
- Gideon Rozner, Universities must protect free speech – Sky News Friday Show
- Daniel Wild, The game is being taken away from the fans – Sky News The Front Page
- Evan Mulholland, A big hand for God – IPA Review
- Andrew Bushnell, Measuring the damage – IPA Review
