News and Updates
Article
December Update of Free Speech Union of Australia
Saturday Dec 09 2023 at 11:00 AM
December Update of Free Speech Union of Australia
The Free Speech Union of Australia opened for Membership two months ago. Since then, we have grown considerably. We greatly appreciate all your support and look forward from going to strength to strength, as we build momentum.
1. November Events and Launch Event
In November, we launched with a stellar line up of speakers, with Rowan Dean as host, and Peter Ridd, Moira Deeming, Holly Lawford-Smith and Jonathan Ayling as our speakers. We are particularly grateful to Professor Andrew Timming for organising the launch night - Andrew will be on our Advisory Council (which we plan to launch shortly). For those of you who missed it, Andrew also went on Outsiders to...[Read more...]
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
Westminister Declaration
Tuesday Oct 31 2023 at 11:00 AM
Westminister Declaration
We are pleased to announce that the directors of the Free Speech Union of Australia are co-signatories of the Westminster Declaration.
This highlights "increasing international censorship that threatens to erode centuries-old democratic norms" and is supported by a range of luminaries who are well-recognised as experts on free speech and human rights. The full text is below:
We write as journalists, artists, authors, activists, technologists, and academics to warn of increasing international censorship that threatens to erode centuries-old democratic norms.[Read more...]Coming from the left, right, and centre, we are united by our commitment to universal human rights and freedom of speech, and we are all deeply concerned about attempts to label protected speech as...
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
Spectator Article about Free Speech Union of Australia
Thursday Oct 26 2023 at 11:00 AM
Spectator Article about Free Speech Union of Australia
One of our Directors has written an article in the Spectator about the Launch of the Free Speech Union of Australia. Please see the full text below:
[Read more...]Fighting Them on the Speeches: Why the FSU is needed in Australia
By Dara Macdonald
There is a view that is common amongst the sceptics of cancel culture, that it is merely a battle between elites and it has no effect on ordinary people.
The reasoning goes that all victims of cancellation attempts are wealthy and influential and the ones doing the mobbing are those privileged enough to hold the specific set of luxury beliefs that have become the modern 'Woke' orthodoxy....
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
The reported suspension of 10-year old autistic student
Sunday Oct 15 2023 at 11:00 AM
The Free Speech Union of Australia (FSU) is a non-profit organisation that aims to protect and promote the Free Speech rights of our members and Australians more broadly. We are most concerned about a reported suspension of a student at Manor Lakes school.
It was reported that a 10-year old autistic student was suspended from your school after expressing concerns about a female-identifying student using the female bathrooms. The asserted justification for the suspension is based on the speech of the student in question posing 'a danger, whether actual, perceived, or threatened, to the health, safety or wellbeing of any person.'
The FSU considers the student to have been seriously wronged by this decision as it infringes their human rights...[Read more...]
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
Launch of the Free Speech Union of Australia
Monday Oct 02 2023 at 11:00 AM
Press Release
Launch of the Free Speech Union of Australia: a defining moment for the protection and advancement of Free Speech in Australia
The Free Speech Union of Australia (FSU) officially launches today. The FSU is the Australian sister organisation of the original Free Speech Union (freespeechunion.org) started by Toby Young in the UK. Like all Free Speech Unions, the FSU will be a non-partisan advocate for the Free Speech rights of our members and all Australians.
The vision of the FSU is an Australia where people have their Free Speech rights broadly protected and promoted, not only because Free Speech is a fundamental right and crucial for a functioning democracy, but also because being able to express ourselves freely,...[Read more...]
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
Announcement: First Friday Free Speech Drinks
Tuesday Sep 26 2023 at 20:48 PM
From the first Friday in February 2024, members of the FSU in Sydney and Melbourne will be invited to attend monthly networking drinks with various speakers and guests to be announced.
These drinks will be free to attend but only our members will be invited to do so.
The primary goal of the “First Friday Free Speech Drinks” is to give our members an opportunity to meet like-minded people and network with other professionals who value Free Speech.
It is the belief of the FSU that friendships are one of the best protections against those who wish to silence. People are only good targets for cancellation mobs when they feel alone. For that reason, creating social and networking opportunities for...[Read more...]
Free Speech Union
of Australia
Article
Misinformation and Disinformation Regulation: Unnecessary, Unjust and Unworkable
Friday Aug 18 2023 at 10:00 AM
Press Release
Misinformation and Disinformation Regulation: Unnecessary, Unjust and Unworkable
The FSU is a non-partisan organisation established in order to promote the fundamental human right of Freedom of Speech within Australia. We defend, protect and promote the Free Speech rights of all Australians irrespective of the content of the speech.
The FSU strongly objects to the passing of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023 (the Bill) into law, primarily due to the impact it will have upon Free Speech by encouraging censorship and by impeding innovation in the online media space.
We recommend that the attempt to regulate misinformation and disinformation is abandoned in its entirety, but at a minimum this Bill should be amended as...[Read more...]
Free Speech Union
of Australia