Human rights activist Stephen Langford has finally been acquitted of “malicious damage” for pasting of the words of Governor Lachlan Macquarie on his statue in Hyde Park. Jim McIlroy reports.
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Brisbane City Council has charged Greens councillor Jonathan Sri in connection with a protest in the Queen Street Mall in September 2020. Alex Bainbridge reports.
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Australian parliamentarians can and do use their position to protect their thin skins. It is welcome news that Shane Bazzi won an appeal overturning a ruling that he defamed Peter Dutton. Binoy Kampmark reports.
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For parties that supposedly stand for free speech, Coalition MPs are increasingly using defamation hearings to silence their critics. Alex Bainbridge looks at the right's culture war.
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This episode of the һƷ̽ Show features Gauri Gandbhir, Lizzie O'Shea and Aleks Wansbrough focuses on the government's proposed media code, Google's threat to abandon Australia and the debate around online free speech.
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The corporate media have been full of complaints and accusations about Chinese influence in Australia. Author Clive Hamilton claims China is carrying out a “silent invasion” that is eroding “Australian sovereignty”, writes Chris Slee.
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No sooner had the government won re-election when its own actions once again showed politics is, after all, fundamental to how you live, writes David Bass.
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Former US intelligence analyst turned whistle-blower and activist Chelsea Manning will speak via satellite from Auckland to audiences in Melbourne and Brisbane, following the Australian government's refusal to issue her with a visa on character grounds.
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While the debate on free speech has largely focused on the "rights" of racists and bigots, federal and state governments have been quietly passing new laws that strip citizens of the freedom of speech that is essential to democratic deliberation.
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The Labor Party has backed federal government legislation that will, in some circumstances, force Australian internet service providers (ISPs) to block their customers from accessing certain online services. Labor and Coalition senators passed the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill 2015 on June 22, with the Greens and a number of other cross-bench senators voting against the legislation.
