Editorial IPA successful in Free Speech outcome

It is welcome news IPA (Institute of public affairs, Australia) has had a win in Queensland for free speech. Why is the win so weak? IPA had attempted to have a stall at a university fete when organisers had refused on the grounds "IPA don't share our values." Organisers were taken to court and forced to apologise. But, they resisted apologising and have never explained their reasoning. And, the IPA sued for an apology, not money. Why are we abrogating to cancel culture?

Via John Roskam (IPA CEO)
"You'll remember in January last year the Student Guild at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane banned the IPA's Generation Liberty program from participating in student orientation activities on campus, because according to the Guild 'your [the IPA's] brand does not align with our values'.

The ban received nationwide media coverage as yet another demonstration of the freedom of speech crisis in our universities.

The Institute of Public Affairs and the IPA's Generation Liberty Campus Coordinator at QUT, Chris Dekker fought the ban - for the sake not only of QUT students but as a matter of principle for every student in every university and every school in Australia.

Chris lodged a complaint with the Queensland Human Rights Commission on the basis the QUT Student Guild had breached both the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act by discriminating against him because of his political beliefs and the Queensland Human Rights Act by restricting his rights specified in the legislation including his freedom of expression, his right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association, his right to take part in public life, his freedom of thought, and his freedom of conscience.

The IPA and Chris didn't want any financial compensation from the Guild, only a public apology so that what occurred would never happen again and to set a precedent so that other student associations at other universities wouldn't attempt to do what the QUT Student Guild had done."

But it has happened again .. "The IPA's Generation Liberty program now has a presence at more than 20 Australian universities and until the actions of the QUT Student Guild last year had operated without incident as Generation Liberty held events and debates and hosted guest speakers at many different universities. What occurred at QUT is I fear a sign of the times as universities become more hostile to any ideas that challenge the prevailing left-wing orthodoxy of our tertiary institutions. After operating successfully at Monash University in Melbourne for the last few years, Generation Liberty was banned from the campus by the student association from participating in the university’s orientation activities because of the views they assume the IPA holds about climate change. We've lodged a complaint with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission which hasn't been heard as yet, and I'll of course keep you informed of developments."
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http://conservativeweasel.blogspot.com/2021/08/mon-2nd-august-2021-current-affairs.html