March
Trump administration cuts grants to 7 unis, PM urged to step up
The Trump administration has cut funding to seven Australian universities sparking fears further interference may put $600 million in joint research at risk.
February
Hate speech laws can’t fill the civic vacuum exposed by antisemitism
Our leaders must foster a culture where people leave their prejudices and biases at the door when they enter a classroom, workplace and other public spaces.
What the new hate crime laws mean for arrests and sentencing
New offences created by the Commonwealth will raise the seriousness of criminal conduct, but a NSW proposal shapes as the most significant change to hate laws.
October 2024
CCTV and sleepover bans: universities clamp down on protests
Universities are in a balancing act trying to protect the right to protest while also keeping students and staff safe in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism.
August 2024
Telegram boss charged, blocked from leaving France
Pavel Durov faces preliminary charges over the alleged failure to address criminality on the messaging app, including the distribution of sexual abuse content.
May 2024
‘End it now or we’ll call police’: Uni toughens up on protesters
Melbourne University says protesters ‘crossed a line’ when they occupied a building and warned they could be charged by police if they don’t leave immediately.
March 2024
Why a TikTok ban could finally become a reality
A bipartisan group of US politicians, with White House backing, have introduced a bill to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell or face a ban.
December 2023
Six French teenagers convicted in connection to beheading of teacher
The court found the adolescents guilty of a range of charges related to the 2020 beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty.
November 2022
State security: How to cast a safe vote in lockdown land
Just don’t call 000 for an ambulance in Victoria. There aren’t any.
June 2022
Julian Assange is far from an angel but he should be treated fairly
The idea that Britain’s courts can be used for a proxy vendetta against an irksome exposer of nefarious state activities should alarm anyone who wants to live in a free country.
March 2022
Kremlin critic Navalny given new nine-year sentence, lawyers arrested
The prominent critic of Vladimir Putin has been given another jail sentence for “large-scale fraud” as the Kremlin continues to crack down on any opposition.
January 2022
More than 60 professors protest Stuart Robert’s research grant veto
Stuart Robert is unlikely to change his decision to veto research grants, but the academic community is boiling over with rage.
November 2021
It’s hard to write rules about religion
Playing electoral politics with religious freedoms will be a lot easier than actually legislating something on them.
October 2021
Homicide probe after Prophet Muhammad cartoonist dies in fiery crash
Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, whose depiction of the Prophet Muhammad prompted death threats and outrage, was killed in a car crash alongside two police officers assigned to protect him.
September 2021
Bureaucrats get half their decisions to refuse FOI requests wrong
One in two decisions by bureaucrats to block access to documents are being overturned by the Information Commissioner.
August 2021
Court sends back intellectual freedom case for reconsideration
A Sydney University academic who says he was unfairly sacked for social media posts will have his case reconsidered in the Federal Court.
Libs in name only cancel Christensen’s dissent
It’s hard to know what will remain of the Liberal party at the end of COVID-19, when not a single one of its MPs supported the principle of freedom of speech.
June 2021
Universities ignore Beijing’s threats to Chinese students
Beijing’s increasingly bold attempts to shape global perceptions means Chinese students and staff on university campuses are frequently targeted, harassed and intimidated, a report finds.
Out of print: Hong Kongers snap up Apple Daily’s last edition
Tens of thousands of people queued at dawn to buy the final edition of the Apple Daily in a silent protest against China’s press crackdown, but big business says life goes on.
Is it freedom of speech or just insulting your colleagues?
The High Court on Wednesday heard arguments as to how far intellectual freedom can be taken in the final round of Peter Ridd’s sacking from James Cook University.