Free speech for me, but not for thee on artistic freedom

Attack on press freedoms by government bodies still met with surprising nonchalance

The West Australian newspaper stands up for Bill Leak and free speech, editorial, yesterday:

Leak’s cartoon was hurtful to good Aboriginal fathers, and to indigenous leaders who are working hard to improve the circumstances of their people. However, it depicted the reality of some indigenous lives blighted by alcoholism and the plight of children born into that situation. It is a ridiculous assault on free speech for action to be taken against the cartoonist under the Racial Discrimination Act.

Former Special Air Service commander and Liberal MP Andrew Hastie wonders where other media groups are in the fight for free expression, The Australian, yesterday:

I’d call on Fairfax and the ABC and The Guardian and ­others not to leave a comrade on the battlefield; I haven’t heard a lot from them and they should be defending him. Politicians have a job to do but it shouldn’t just be upon politicians to resolve this issue — where are the other voices in the public square?

So much for solidarity in the face of government restrictions on publishing. New Matilda website, August 9:

A group of 173 media and communications professionals have signed an open letter slamming The Australian newspaper for publishing a racist cartoon by Bill Leak, implying Aboriginal fathers are drunks who do not know their own children’s names.

Fortunately the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance has put out a strong statement on its website defending Leak and other cartoonists’ right to draw freely:

Oh wait, no it hasn’t. Meanwhile, here’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane denying having prejudged Leak’s cartoon, Senate estimates, yesterday:

There’s no prejudgment that I make. I have a role as defined by the Racial Discrimination Act to promote public understanding and acceptance of the act and compliance with the act … I don’t accept your characterisation of anyone being shut down.

Canadian columnist and author Mark Steyn, steynonline.com website, Monday:

Mr Leak’s opponents are not attempting to engage him in debate; they’re attempting to close down the debate. And there’s no point getting in a debate with someone whose only argument is “Shut up — or else.” In that sense, the Australian “human rights” regime and the Charlie Hebdo killers are merely different points on the same continuum: They’re both in the shut-up business … They know that, for every cartoonist they silence, a thousand more will never peep up in the first place.

At the Guardian Australia, they’ve got other things to worry about, like the price of brunch and houses. Brigid Delaney defends hipsters from The Australian’s Bernard Salt, Monday:

We watch the brunch market as carefully as the baby boomers watch property — what’s the hot suburb to brunch in? What area has not yet been gentrified by wealthy brunchers and its possible to get authentic Israeli baked eggs for a tenner? What brunch place has just had a write-up in Broadsheet? We’ll queue up for it and Instagram it and use it as a social signifier in the way that people once used their houses … Brunch is all we’ve got, Bernard! Don’t take it away from us.

And at Fairfax they have more base concerns. Headline, Sydney Morning Herald website, yesterday:

How food affects the smell of your farts