Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Universities have a responsibility to pass knowledge from one generation to the next. When universities neglect their responsibility to pass on the accumulated knowledge of our society and facilitate debate, society ultimately suffers. A foundational principle of a free society and of a successful university is the freedom to openly debate ideas and opinions. That freedom is under increasing threat in Australian universities as well as in many other countries around the world. Last year a Free Speech on Campus audit analysed over 165 university policies, finding that 34 of Australia's 42 universities have some questionable conduct around free speech. Today campuses are imposing policies that prohibit students from making offensive, unwelcome comments or even engaging in sarcasm.

This is not acceptable. It will only lead to the silencing of debate, and self-censorship. This culture is in response to the modern Marxism that challenging ideas or opinions can be harmful and amount to violence. This is simply absurd. No-one disputes that poor conduct can occur anyway and that there is legitimate room to make sure we stop harassment or threatening conduct. But it is wrong-headed to focus on ideas and not conduct. Universities have a responsibility to defend an environment of inquiry and to confront a culture that risks censorship. Bucking the trend, the University of Chicago has published a statement on principles of free expression and confirmed its commitment to free speech. I encourage Australian universities to do the same.