Betty There is free speech

federal politics

7 Aug 2012

By Newmatilda.com

Free speech for all - and more of it. Tony Abbott's vision for the media is founded on a blunt and disingenuous notion of freedom of speech. NM on the Opposition Leader's address to the IPA

Not much has been interfering with Tony Abbotts freedom of speech lately. The Opposition Leader has been speeching it up on China, defence spending, mining magnates, you name it. Yesterday, he addressed the IPA on freedom of speech and media regulation.

The take home? More freedom, lessregulation.

Weve heard much of what the Opposition Leader had to say before. Hes against a public interest test for media owners and in favour of impassioned, untrammelled debate. Free speech is an unqualified public good, the more of it we get, the better. Theres no debate about that, right? In fact, in Abbotts hands, free speech is a blunt stick with which to bludgeon thecentre-left.

In a turn worryingly reminiscent of the bad old days of the Culture Wars, Abbott reminded his audience that freedom of speech "is not just an academic nicety". Its real stuff, in the real world. Small-l liberals recoil from the idea of restricting speech and have often struggled to defend legislation which does so. Fostering free speech in the name of democratic debate sounds like a liberal goal, as does Abbotts intention to "increase the number and the range of people who can participate in public debate, not reduceit".

Like it or not, it requires a few academic niceties to unpick who participates in public debate and to what end even if without nuance is the way Abbott likesit.

Abbott laid out the cultural battlelines clearly. David Marr v Andrew Bolt. Philip Adams v Alan Jones. Either youre with us, or you aint. Read the whole speech here.

Go here to see the original:
Betty There is free speech