Freedom of speech is under attack in Australia
The Australian government is trying to pass the ‘Combating
Misinformation’ bill.
This will give them unprecedented power to censor speech they
deem to be ‘misinformation’ or could result in ‘serious harm.’
Freedom of speech, known as the ‘bulwark of liberty,’ protects all other freedoms. History shows that when governments control speech, all freedoms are at risk.
The muzzle precedes the cage.
This bill is close to becoming law. It has passed the lower
house and will soon be voted on by the Senate.
This is not a political issue — this concerns all of
us.
"No single person, no body of opinion, no political or religious doctrine, no political party or government can claim to have a monopoly on truth. For that reason, truth can be arrived at only through the untrammelled contest between and among competing opinions, in which as many viewpoints as possible are given a fair and equal hearing."
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It is the people’s essential feedback loop — the error-correction mechanism that allows a civilization to identify and address its flaws, ensuring its growth and resilience.
Throughout history, the right to voice one’s thoughts and opinions—even when controversial or counter to prevailing norms—has been essential in driving humanity forward. From the abolition of slavery to the end of colonialism, it has proven indispensable in resisting oppression and enabling progress. A society that champions open discourse and tolerates dissent is one that nurtures the free exchange of ideas, fostering a space where truth can emerge through honest confrontation. Limiting freedom of speech, even for well-meaning reasons, risks fostering a society that’s less informed, more authoritarian, and prone to oppression. When governments acquire the power to censor speech they find harmful, history shows a persistent trend of this authority being misused to silence dissent and reinforce existing power structures. Furthermore, censorship rarely eradicates harmful ideas; instead, it drives them underground, where they can build strength and potentially re-emerge with greater impact.
Embracing a culture of free speech, where diverse viewpoints clash openly, is essential not only for a vibrant democracy but also for fostering understanding, tolerance, and societal progress.
It seeks to “establish a new framework to safeguard against serious harms caused by misinformation or disinformation”, giving the government unprecedented controls over speech in Australia. The bill’s vague definitions of “serious harm” and “misinformation” pose dire risks.
“Serious harm” includes broad, loosely defined areas like public health, the economy, and even “public confidence in the banking system or financial markets”. Meanwhile, “misinformation” refers to content that is “reasonably verifiable as false” and likely to “cause or contribute to serious harm.”
These ambiguous definitions open the door to arbitrary and subjective interpretation, allowing almost any content to be censored if it challenges prevailing views. In recent years, we've seen that governments themselves are often among the greatest purveyors of misinformation.
Even in the best of hands, the power to define and control “misinformation” or “disinformation” is is notoriously difficult. History has repeatedly shows that facts’ and perspectives evolve, and what was once deemed “false” may later be validated or reconsidered.
In the wrong hands, these powers could be wielded to suppress dissenting voices, obscure inconvenient facts, or silence opposition. The danger lies not only in who has the power but in the very attempt to legislate truth.
Truth can only flourish in an environment where everyone is free to speak, share opinions, and question openly. But this bill goes beyond managing “misinformation.” The government wants to interfere with your freedom of conscience, the right to hold, seek, and process information and beliefs free from interference. This bill sends a clear message to Australians: You cannot be trusted to make sense of the world around you.
While perhaps crafted with good intentions, this bill stands poised to dismantle freedoms that generations have fought to establish, earned through struggle, and upheld against all odds. We cannot allow this erosion of our rights. To defend freedom of expression is to safeguard the essence of liberty itself. The muzzle precedes the cage.
For a closer look at the details, you can view the full text of the bill here.