Mr Zuckerberg, You Have a Problem: the False Promise of Silicon Valley
Written by Paul Collits
What we now know as "Big Tech" was once a series of little techs, brave start-ups taking on the world. Not only did these entrepreneurs end up overturning the business world. They have taken over everything. And the result is far from pretty.
If Peter Ridd Loses, Academic Freedom in Australia is Dead
Written by Augusto Zimmermann
Peter Ridd was a respected Australian academic who dared to question "the science" of climate change, and in particular, the work of colleagues at his then university. He was sacked for his trouble. He is now heading for the High Court, and all of us should be hoping he wins his case. There is much at stake - for freedom.
Our Freedom Destroyed - The Costs of Collaborating with Fascism
Written by Paul Collits
It has been said that the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Well, on any number of fronts, people in liberal democracies are currently "doing nothing", as our freedoms and the quality of our governance ever decline. And evil is winning.
News broke this week about Google expanding its censorship of conservative and pro-life websites. Whistleblower Zachary Vorhies divulged information detailing widespread censorship by Google of numerous blacklisted sites, including LifeNews.com, Newsbusters, Gateway Pundit, Glenn Beck and the Media Research Center. The crackdowns on our free speech have become even more numerous and more noticeable, even to smaller independent sites.
Public servant sacked for social media comments
Written by Neil Foster
The High Court of Australia today upheld as “reasonable”, and not unconstitutional, the decision of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to dismiss an employee who had made anonymous political comments about migration matters and government policies, contrary to various codes of conduct. The case provides interesting insights into the operation of the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. Many will see similarities with the dismissal of footballer Israel Folau for comments he shared about the Bible’s view of morality, but as we will see, while somewhat factually similar, the cases raise quite different issues.
Yes, free speech is dead in this country, killed by its very guardians, the High Court of Australia, and “liberal” civil libertarians.
Secretary General Calls for UN to Curtail Free Speech
Written by C-FAM
Religious "vilification" not unlawful in NSW
Written by Neil Foster
Senate Inquiry into "Legislative Exemption" reports
Written by Neil Foster
The Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee (“LCAR Committee”) has now handed down its report into Legislative exemptions that allow faith-based educational institutions to discriminate against students, teachers and staff . The inquiry has been incredibly short- the motion referring the topic was only passed on 13 November. As expected (due to the preponderance of ALP and Greens committee members) the report recommends complete removal of religious freedom protections for faith-based schools relating to how those schools deal with same-sex attracted students. There is a strong dissenting report from Coalition Senators.
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) yesterday dropped its disgraceful investigation into social media activity of Toowoomba based GP, Dr David van Gend. Dr van Gend posted on Facebook that,
“the Board got back to me today and (of course) threw out that worthless complaint unconditionally. Not with the profuse apology that good manners would have expected after this vexatious waste of a fellow citizen’s time… Thanks to massive pushback from many doctors and thousands of citizens, I doubt the Board will be expanding their censorship powers in the new Doctors’ Code of Conduct. And that is a small but necessary win.”
My constitutional challenge to Victoria's abortuary exclusion-zones was heard in the Australian High Court from October 9-11, 2018. Graham Preston's challenge to Tasmanian exclusion-zones was heard alongside mine. Please click here to learn more about exclusion-zones. Please click here to follow the progress of this case of the High Court of Australia website.
Censorship of conservative and pro-life media outlets has been going on for some time, but in recent weeks, this attack on free speech has become even more blatant. For example, controversial commentator Alex Jones of Infowars was banned from Facebook, Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and finally from Twitter then, just a few days ago, PragerU's Facebook account was completely hidden from its 3 million followers. Additionally, pro-life accounts have been censored on Twitter for merely stating that abortion 'kills babies' or that a fetus is a human being.
Sorry, Progressives: Exclusion-Zones Don't Stop Killers
Written by Kathy Clubb
Queensland has moved a step closer to decriminalising abortion with Labor's outrageous bill set to be put forward in August. The bill will draw heavily on Law reform Commission recommendations, and take extreme abortion laws existing in other states even further. While mainstream media emphasises that abortion would be made legal up to 22 weeks, there is less emphasis on proposals for babies over 22 weeks' gestation. That may be due to the public's distaste for late-term abortion: Premier Palaszczuk wants to allow abortions to full term, with merely a sign-off by a second doctor required.
Update to this article: there were violent clashes between police and protesters outside Stefan Molyneux and Laura Southern's Melbourne event last night. According to the ABC report, police blamed the speakers for the violence. Police Commander, Tim Hansen, stated: "Their actions put their lives, the lives of the public and the lives of police officers at risk. The safety of the community is our main concern and our officers could have been used more effectively across Melbourne on a Friday night. It is disappointing that we had to use significant resources to mediate between two groups with opposing views." I agree: it IS disappointing. Disappointing that the Victorian state government expects a speaker to pay for the police protection it is obliged to provide and doesn't slap violent protesters with the fine! As with the case of Milo Yiannopoulos, it isn't necessary that we agree with their views or with their lifestyles to defend others' right to freely express an opinion. - Ed.
John Young has summarised the submission made by my legal team to the High Court of Australia, which we propose will show that abortion-facility exclusion zones are unconstitutional. The entire document is 24 pages long and can be read here on the High Court website, along with submissions from the Attorneys-General of the states and territories, and the Commonwealth Attorney-General - all of whom oppose us. American readers may be interested to note that SCOTUS and the Massachusetts bubble-zone case are mentioned in our submission on page 12. Careful readers will see that, on the day of my arrest, twenty police officers were briefed regarding my life advocacy within the exclusion zone. Twenty.
Anti-Life Activists and Media Target Final Pro-Life Vigil in NSW
Written by Kathy Clubb
[Offering help outside NSW abortion facilities is now illegal under a law passed less than two weeks ago by the state's parliament. Pro-abortion advocates rushed the law through its final enactment stage to ensure that no woman would have the opportunity to change her mind on her way to an abortion, through the intervention of life advocates. The law was passed despite evidence of coercion being present in many abortion decisions, and despite the fact that many women are unaware of the resources available to them, should they choose to keep their child.
New South Wales MP Condones Violence Against Pro-Lifers
Written by Kathy Clubb
In the wake of the passing of another 'Safe-Access' zones bill, a NSW MP has sanctioned the idea that violence against life advocates is acceptable. Emma Husar, Labor's member for Lindsay, made the comment in a thread on her public Facebook page.
In facing up to ‘Group Think’ or ‘The Herd Instinct’, or ‘go with the flow, be modern, with it etc., believing in the majority view point, getting your views from ‘The Age’ and other similar media, to vote Yes to homosexual 'marriage', some things should be remembered as to why there is a crushing emptiness. Groupthink usually means you have handed over your mind, body, soul, conscience to the head of the herd or the master of Groupthink, to tell you what to think, say and do. This is the case in the good ‘ol’ of USA where the masses have fallen mindlessly, for example the National Riflemen’s Association and their complete opposition to gun control and the dire consequences.
Brick Walls and Barricades in the Victorian Republik
Written by Marcus L'Estrange
Marcus L'Estrange relates his recent experiences in the Republik of Viktoria: trying to talk sense into Reichskommissariat Merlino, the Education Minister, then navigating a human barricade of LGBTI protesters.
DISSIng Parents?
"Ladies and gentlemen, I know it’s International Women’s Day so first I must apologise for not being a woman. It’s particularly regrettable that I’m not a glamorous Sudanese-Egyptian-Australian woman who wears a hijab promoting a book about what it’s like being a glamorous Sudanese-Egyptian-Australian woman who wears a hijab. If I was, this wouldn’t be the only event I’ve got lined up on my non-government funded whirlwind Trigger Warning awareness-raising tour. When I met the great cartoonist Bill Mitchell about 34 years ago, he said, “Mate, a cartoonist only has to be funny once a day, but it’s a lot harder than you’d think.” He was right, but he had no idea how much harder it would be for me than it ever was for him.
Conservatives may laugh about the childish intolerance of Generation Snowflake, but in reality, we have much to fear if they are allowed to continue to wield their latest weapon:18C. In fact, it could be argued that cartoonist Bill Leak's untimely death was due, at least in part, to the stress brought about by accusations that he violated 18C. Legal battles and unwanted media attention are a very stressful form of 'humiliation and insult' - precisely the kind of activity that this law purports to eliminate. More about Bill Leak later.
Another week, another encroachment on our freedoms - that's how it feels in Australia these days. The latest outrage is that there appears to be some doubt as to whether or not a plebiscite to decide the marriage issue will be supported in the Senate, or if we citizens will be deemed too ignorant to vote on it, and be made to leave the decision to our parliamentarians. 'Marriage Equality' Ammunition I was fortunate to be able to see Brendan O'Neill speak in Melbourne last week. For those of you who haven't heard of Brendan, he is an online journalist with Spiked Online, and an atheist libertarian. Brendan gave his Christian audience some fresh insights into the marriage debate and proved, yet again, that this isn't a religious issue, but a natural law (and common-sense) one. Brendan has been ostracised and publicly vilified for his stance on marriage, simply because he doesn't agree with the fashionable ideology of marriage redefinition.
There is a ‘game’ played by dysfunctional people and described by psychiatrist Dr Eric Berne in his capital little book, “The Games People Play”. People often disagree with one another. A protagonist with an ax to grind and a lack of moral, civil or mental sufficiency, sets her or his victim up against external overwhelming forces. They may disagree with the victim and have no cogent or legitimate argument so they call in the police with their ‘authority’ and a gun on their hips, and the Courts that have the full panoply of process and procedure, backed by Laws made by the complainant’s friends. The Laws, the legislators, the police become complicit in gross acts of indecency and bring that Law and authority and panoply into disrespect when they do not punish such dysfunctional protagonists. And they are complicit.
