Rights and Freedoms

New ABS Prison Data Shows Why Criminal Justice Reform Urgent
23 November 2023

New ABS Prison Data Shows Why Criminal Justice Reform Urgent

“The latest ABS data shows prison numbers have climbed over the last 12 months, highlighting, yet again, the need for wholesale criminal justice reform, as current policy settings are simply not working or keeping us safe,” said Mia Schlicht, Research Analyst at the Institute of Public Affairs. Data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals the number of
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Federal Government Re-commits To ‘Misinformation’ Bill Censorship
23 November 2023

Federal Government Re-commits To ‘Misinformation’ Bill Censorship

“The federal Minister of Communications confirmation today that the government is committed to introducing the most draconian censorship Australians have ever faced outside of wartime, highlights it has not listened to community concerns,” said John Storey, Director of Law and Policy at the Institute of Public Affairs. At the National Press Club today, while announcing a review into the Online
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World-leader: Australia Allows Its People To Shape The Nation
21 November 2023

World-leader: Australia Allows Its People To Shape The Nation

In this article, John Storey contextualises and disseminates the findings of the IPA’s research into the Australian Constitution as part of the IPA’s analysis of the Voice to Parliament. The IPA has been researching the consequences a potential Voice to Parliament would have to the political freedom, liberty, and equality of Australians since the Uluru Statement of the Heart was
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Cost-of-living Crisis Is A Social Crisis Too
16 November 2023

Cost-of-living Crisis Is A Social Crisis Too

This article was originally published in Australian Financial Review on or about 16 November 2023 and was written by the author in their capacity as a contributor for that publication.  It has been republished on the IPA website with permission. The views expressed are those of the author alone. An economically pessimistic society finds it a lot harder to repair and renew
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Red Tape Holds Back Critical Minerals Boom
16 November 2023

Red Tape Holds Back Critical Minerals Boom

In this article, Lachlan Clark contextualises and disseminates the findings of the IPA’s research into Australia’s level of red tape and how that affects Australia’s regional communities. Australia has experienced several wealth-enhancing resource booms, to the considerable benefit of all Australians. And our industries were able to seize the opportunities these booms presented because previous governments understood the value of
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How Red Tape Makes Communities Less Safe In Times Of Fire
15 November 2023

How Red Tape Makes Communities Less Safe In Times Of Fire

In this article, Lachlan Clark contextualises and disseminates the findings of the IPA’s research into Australia’s level of red tape and how that affects Australia’s regional communities. For all the great activities we equate with the warmer months, the threat of bushfires lives deeply in the psyche of Australians, particularly in rural and regional communities. Yet again, we have witnessed
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Women Pay The Price For The Prime Minister’s Productivity Problems
13 November 2023

Women Pay The Price For The Prime Minister’s Productivity Problems

This article was originally published in The Spectator Australia on or about 13 November 2023 and was written by the author in their capacity as a contributor for that publication.  It has been republished on the IPA website with permission. The views expressed are those of the author alone. Despite a rapidly declining birth rate across the Western world, new research out
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The Arbiters Of Truth – Analysis Of Fact Checking Organisations During The 2023 Voice Referendum
9 November 2023

The Arbiters Of Truth – Analysis Of Fact Checking Organisations During The 2023 Voice Referendum

The 2023 Voice to Parliament Referendum was characterised by the censorship and regulation of public debate in the name of combatting ‘misinformation’. In partnership with social media companies, ‘fact checking’ organisations assessed the ‘truth’ of claims made about the referendum proposal and sought to stop the circulation of claims found to be ‘false’ or ‘misleading’. The three fact checking organisations
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Biased “Fact Checkers” Show How Misinformation Laws Will Be A Disaster For Australia
9 November 2023

Biased “Fact Checkers” Show How Misinformation Laws Will Be A Disaster For Australia

“Throughout the referendum campaign, Australians witnessed unparalleled levels of online censorship driven by the intervention of so-called ‘fact-checkers’. It shows why the government’s proposed misinformation laws must be scrapped,” said John Storey, Director of the Institute of Public Affairs’ Legal Rights Program. New research from the IPA of self-proclaimed ‘fact-checking’ organisations in Australia – AAP FactCheck, RMIT FactLab, and RMIT
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Deplatform The Enemies Of Free Speech
8 November 2023

Deplatform The Enemies Of Free Speech

  Australia needs a ‘quick march’ through our universities to reclaim free speech and the spirit of intellectual inquiry, argues IPA Research Fellow Brianna McKee. The cyclical relationship between education, culture, and politics drives societal change. Each informs and shapes the other. A change in one area will have a flow-on effect on the others. However, institutions of learning may
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