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• Free Speech

Freedom of speech is a crucial principle of a liberal democracy that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction.

After the Riot: the Meaning for Multicultural Australia
Benjamin Herscovitch, Jeremy Sammut, Peter KurtiOctober 11, 2012IA135

Innocence of Muslims Among thinking Australians, these concerns are not a manifestation of inherent prejudice;...

You Can’t Say That! Freedom of Speech and the Invisible Muzzle
Brendan O'Neill, James Allan, Janet Albrechtsen, Thilo SarrazinFebruary 6, 2012OP124

This collection of four speeches warns against the increasing restrictions on free speech in a...

Big Ideas Forum – You Can’t Say That: Freedom of Speech & the Invisible Muzzle
August 5, 2011
Q&A – Big Ideas Forum – You Can’t Say That: Freedom of Speech & the Invisible Muzzle
August 4, 2011
Professor James Allan – Watch What You Say: The Language of Human Rights in Civil Society
April 3, 2011
Hard won is easily lost
April PalmerleeApril 18, 2006The Courier Mail

From Beirut to Baghdad , the streets are overflowing with calls for freedom and liberty,...

Business Means Business. Why Corporates Should Avoid Social Activism
Simon Cowan, Emilie DyeJuly 18, 2024AP72
Senior management should be concerned they are putting their companies at risk of reputational harm...
ap47 free speech
Free to Speak and Free to Believe? What Australians think about freedom of speech
Peter Kurti, Scott PrasserApril 20, 2023AP47

To what extent do Australians think speech is free in this country? According to polling...

Lord Sumption speaks at the Centre for Independent Studies
Rule of Law in a Time of Crisis: a conversation with Lord Sumption
Lord SumptionNovember 8, 2022OP191
Lord Sumption became what is widely regarded as a brilliant QC before he served as...
Australians’ Attitudes to Social Media: Connection or Curse?
Monica WilkieMarch 29, 2021PP37

Social media appears in the news cycle, almost daily, and the majority of the coverage...

Cancelled! How ideological cleansing threatens Australia
Peter KurtiAugust 17, 2020AP13

‘Cancel culture’ campaigns in Australia are intended to erase elements of our history and to...

Criminalising Hate Speech: Australia’s crusade against vilification
Monica WilkieSeptember 18, 2019AP6

In Australia, there are a range of criminal and civil vilification laws that exist to...

Social media doesn’t equal votes
Monica WilkieMay 24, 2019Ideas@TheCentre

The impact of social media on politics is a contentious topic. Some argue social media...

Something amiss in live-and-let-live Australia
Peter KurtiMay 10, 2019AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW

Found guilty of a serious breach of his contract with Rugby Australia (RA), Israel Folau...

Folau free speech debate: both sides need to show tolerance
Simon Cowan, Monica WilkieApril 21, 2019CANBERRA TIMES

It will be deeply ironic if rugby union star Israel Folau is fired for condemning...

Left must stop crucifying voices of dissent
Peter KurtiApril 18, 2019The Daily Telegraph

Easter is the perfect time for protest and dissent. It’s when Christians celebrate the resurrection...

Israel Folau and the tyranny of tolerance
Peter KurtiApril 18, 2019SPECTATOR FLAT WHITE

Rugby Australia’s attempt to remove Israel Folau from the game is now being presented as...

Hard won is easily lost
April PalmerleeApril 18, 2006The Courier Mail

From Beirut to Baghdad , the streets are overflowing with calls for freedom and liberty,...

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Submission to the Senate Inquiry on Information Integrity
Michael StutchburySeptember 12, 2025

On behalf of the Centre for Independent Studies (CIS), we are pleased to provide the...

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