Cis Podcast

Recent Australian laws risk undermining fundamental freedoms and weakening the principles that underpin a democratic society. In The Rule of Law, Excessive Regulation and Free Speech, Dr Paul M Taylor argues that government responses to challenges such as misinformation, online harms, privacy and hate speech are increasingly disproportionate and, in some cases, ineffective. “While governments are right and bound to protect citizens from genuine harm, measures that curtail political expression, encourage censorship, or prioritise one right over another threaten the very principles of accountability and fairness that the rule of law is designed to safeguard,” Dr Taylor says. The paper highlights several recent developments, including: The proposed misinformation bills, which would have incentivised excessive censorship without adequate safeguards for free expression. The expansion of the eSafety Commissioner’s powers, raising concerns about transparency, accountability and overreach. The rushed passage