Keywords: Freedom Of Speech
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RELIGION
- John Warhurst
- 07 November 2024
14 Comments
The Catholic Church recently displayed two strikingly different faces. In Rome, the Synod on Synodality wrapped up with a facade of unity. But back in Melbourne, a Catholic University’s graduation became a battleground over church doctrine and free speech, exposing deep, unresolved fractures within the church.
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AUSTRALIA
- Frank Brennan
- 25 September 2024
3 Comments
The Government is making another valiant effort to rein in the adverse effects of ungoverned digital platforms. But in debating such a detailed bill without the backstop of a constitutional or statutory bill of rights recognising the right to freedom of expression, there are no clear guard rails for getting the balance right.
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INTERNATIONAL
- Sarah Klenbort
- 21 August 2024
2 Comments
For a nation ‘conceived in liberty’, much of how this U.S. election will play out will hinge on different understandings of the word ‘freedom’, a term that has two distinct and separate meanings depending on whether the person you’re asking votes red or blue.
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AUSTRALIA
- Russell Blackford
- 09 August 2024
2 Comments
Once the backbone of Western democracy, the philosophy championing free speech, tolerance, and civil political discourse is often reviled by those on both the Left and Right. In our desire for justice and meaning, is there a need to rediscover the principles that have long fostered human flourishing?
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MEDIA
- Andrew Hamilton
- 25 July 2024
1 Comment
Recent media pressure led to two high profile resignations. Joe Biden, after resisting pressure to do so, has abandoned his re-election bid and English professional football manager Gareth Southgate resigned. The part played by the media merits reflection on the human vulnerability of persons in public life and of those involved in reporting on it.
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RELIGION
- John Warhurst
- 03 July 2024
8 Comments
In 1962, Goulburn was the centre of national attention when Catholic schools closed in protest over a lack of government funding and control. Students overwhelmed public schools. Could this happen again? An Australian archbishop suggests it as an option if religious freedom in Catholic schools is threatened.
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AUSTRALIA
In response to campus protests, universities erred on the side of free speech when every other day, the prevailing ethos is one of ‘safetyism’, namely suppressing speech or inquiry if an identity group frames it as ‘harmful’ to them. Universities should strive to be uncomfortable and ‘unsafe’ for all, with no identity immune from robust scrutiny.
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ARTS AND CULTURE
Social psychologist Hugh Mackay has been people-watching for more than 60 years. At 86 he has published The Way We Are: Lessons from a lifetime of listening, a compendium of his choicest insights on Australian life quarter-way through the new century.
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AUSTRALIA
- Gillian Bouras
- 20 March 2024
6 Comments
Times are changed and we are changed with them. As societal norms evolve, from fashion to expressions of freedom and political attitudes, how does each of us adapt while preserving our core selves?
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AUSTRALIA
- Holly Lawford-Smith
- 02 February 2024
1 Comment
How can we make progress on the question of whether debate can do harm, and if it can, whether that’s a sufficient reason to suppress particular debates? Or should we adopt a ‘no debate!’ approach to particular topics ourselves?
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AUSTRALIA
- Frank Brennan
- 11 January 2024
As the government drafts legislation to stem the rising tide of misinformation circulating online, the nation debates: will these measures sufficiently regulate online content and curb potential harms or threaten freedom of expression? This moment is a critical test for the integrity of Australia's public discourse.
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AUSTRALIA
- Kerry Murphy
- 04 January 2024
Throughout recent decades of Australian history, the stance every government has taken on asylum seekers has reflected the shifting political landscapes and challenging humanitarian issues that have continually shaped Australia's response to those seeking refuge.
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