Defending free speech with John Roskam | Australia Censored

In episode one of Australia Censored, host John Storey, Director of Law and Policy at the Institute of Public Affairs talks to long time free speech campaigner John Roskam.
Here they discuss the federal government’s proposed online censorship laws, how the history of these laws trace back to the former Coalition government and the failure of the centre-right to fight for free speech, both here and abroad.
They both also explore why governments are attracted to censorship, the role of technology in enabling the control of free speech and debate, and whether we should be positive or pessimistic about the future.
The proposed Communication Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill, will require foreign owned social media companies to censor mainstream Australians to the satisfaction of Canberra-based politicians and bureaucrats under the threat of massive fines.
Over the coming weeks, John will take you through the details of the proposed changes and talk to leading minds about the insidious nature of the proposed laws and the push by the political class and elites to censor mainstream opinion online.
To find out more about the IPA’s research visit ipa.org.au

[@henkverhaeren3759]

Defending free speech is our right and duty to defend our quest for truth.

[@Ralph_Baric_PhD_C2019]

You know what these gov's are frightened of? Think back to the year 2011 and what was touted as the ground swell social media Arab spring uprising in a nuber of couties from syria, yemen, egypt and libya... They dragged ut gidaffi and killed him Netenyahoo did not even need to ask obama to pull out the unmanned drones and fire a weapon. With the help of the mostly IZY run social media companies, shadow banning and artificially boosting they were able to create turmiol in all the neighbouring countries. Now we pretend that Hilary lost control of this war fomenting tool and let the Russians steal her election and give it to TRUMp? Not on your life. Enter cambrige analytica, the concept of corraling, and cirle jerking and echo chambers of algorythms and you have all the ingredients you need to run a HANDS FREE COUP. THIS IS WHAT CURRENT GOVERNMENTS ARE SCARED of... Not just losing control of the narrative to the likes of russia or chyna, but losing that control to other 'western' actors who are and will be using it on their own citizens. Now lets discuss the covid narrative and the EUA of the covid vax THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ISSUed ANd yet still we see those complicit failing upewards Like Jenneatte in QLD and her governorship and Sutton in victoria and his AO. Its almost as bad as richard butler nearly being governor of tasmania.... But then i guess the whit desert arabs are on the front line for the rest of us "white western" minority compared to the rest of the world. If forces wanted to destroy the 11 million IZYies then its not much more of a strech to s do away with copule to several hundred million white folks if the world is 8 billion.

[@user-gy4gf5cx9b]

Thank you for discussing this frightening issue

[@Linkmyssing]

I’ll say what I want and the Australian government can eat my shorts.

[@fredgarvinMP]

Yes, but the government will now make sure that no one hears you.

[@spiderrabbit1556]

Careful what you say about people. Others right to freedom of expression might just kick you in the arse.

[@Linkmyssing]

@@spiderrabbit1556 bring it mfs I am not frightened of pathetic people with mental issues

[@andrewsparkinson1566]

Short shorts.

[@Linkmyssing]

@@spiderrabbit1556 bring it

[@aymericdeascalon4590]

Easiest way to build trust in government. Control what is said, control language and make questioning them literally unthinkable.

[@stevegoulding6328]

Just like the nazzis did!

[@turningpointaustralia9531]

Where were you when they started to disarm the nation, stopped gathering, stopped protesting and what you going to do with digital currency

[@DisgustedAussie]

We haven't had freedom of speech for at least 40 years when we learnt the phrase " Politically Correct "

[@georgetsagaris4470]

Jacinda Ardern stood up in the UN and said that freedom of speech was a threat to democracy.

[@Maxindifference]

Because she’s a member of the communist party

[@leanneverrier2124]

"Under the guise of protecting children". I would expect that we will see more examples of children being abused on line, child trafficking etc, anything that will give us the reason to give the power away. The children are the pawns in the game, yet again.

[@souelmar]

No democracy without a free speech, it’s like having a dinner party without dinner

[@ZelM-hz1ob]

Opinions are controlled and made punishable, it is not even allowed to voice opinion against genocide bc the ones comitting it are a protected species

[@stevegoulding6328]

Exactly! Do what I say, not what I do! Nothing to see here, look, there's a shiny distraction over there! The paid for media just go along with it and actually help to sell the narrative. It goes further. I've identified a few controversial videos that have permanent gate keepers of the official narrative. Not sure if they're Ai bots or people, but the same two have been in the comments threads for over 10yrs and reply very quickly at all hours to anything controversial. Occasionally I bait them by saying something against the grain to see how long it takes for a response. Normally one will reply within 12hrs and sometimes both. They are both insulting, patronising and dismiss you as a conspiracy theorist straight away. My guess is they're Ai bots that have learned how to argue.

[@kathyhirsch379]

Spot on..... don't forgett the 70 year cover up

[@swissmaid]

Everything YOU need to know about government mass censorship campaing!!! Tucker Carlson and Mike Benz kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYO8hH6XiJKLqrMsi=KVYUWH_352M7R9I8

[@unjay1967]

Oh yes like Australia’s attempts to eradicate Aboriginal people

[@justinmcginty26]

Well said. We now have the ability to reveal the degree of dishonesty and manipulation of governments, governments need to remove this ability to maintain control....

[@jameswright2974]

Italians had the lampost France the guillotine

[@debbie8710]

Excellent interview

[@dufus7396]

Im 67 and have seen the constant censorship and govt intrusion across ALL communication..radio transmissions , telephone, T V , Movies, and books . Cameras and microphones even intruding into our private cars as we drive

[@edwinatonna9703]

We’ll done fellas . 👏

[@DLBC78]

Between issues raised here about Free Speech, to the handling of 'The Voice' and even the mad push of EV's, I'll be voting for a minor party for the first time in my life. So sick of what feels like power grabs lately.

[@Vegeta1088]

You know your preference will still go to one of the majours in 80% of seats

[@swissmaid]

Everything YOU need to know about government mass censorship campaing!!! Tucker Carlson and Mike Benz kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYO8hH6XiJKLqrMsi=KVYUWH_352M7R9I8

[@domenicozagari2443]

Should start a party, THE FREE SPEECH PARTY, lots of people would vote for you, you could hold the key in the senate.

[@Ralph_Baric_PhD_C2019]

We have to get the border thing and the constitution thing in the palmer versus WA correct before we even consider free speech. They wont care waht you say oif your constitution does not GUARANTEE YOU THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL FREELY ACROSS STATES IN YOUR OWN COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF ANY CIRCUMSTANCES let alone an over blown covid virus. Canada found out the hard way that their CHARTER of human rights means didly squat, all though they had a small win two weeks ago in the courts.

[@keithdrower9120]

Hahaha

[@sharynhonor5084]

The discussion is good…so helpful to hear and have conversations

[@noelajones619]

This is good to hear. Being of senior years and getting 99 percent of news from America due to having an iPad. Thank you.

[@Mark-dv5xw]

We need a Digital Bill of Rights.

[@stevegoulding6328]

Out of 20 comments, there's only 11 left!😳 Albo overseasy doesn't need his bill because the censorship is already happening!

[@elizabethcooke8998]

The counsellor actually said that there was insufficient evidence to indict. Report accurately.

[@annbarker7707]

I’ve voted Liberals all my life but I’ve been listening and watch Riccardo Bosi Australia One and I’m inspired how strong and straight forward he is, he is a Godly and caring person who is looking after the people, non of the other parties give a damn

[@chrisburnett4742]

Scintillating stuff from a couple of IPA Johns reminiscing about their favourite primary school yard sayings “you can’t make me do that, it’s a free country” and “sticks and stones will break …”. The really exciting discussion happens as they try to insinuate that those carefree days when no-one could make us do anything and no one cared about being verbally attacked have disappeared and now we’re all to scared to speak our mind. The two John’s start with a premise that Au is no longer free and that Govts are trying to censor freedom of debate and they laud the benefits of the new town square- social media platforms and hint that Govts want to control these platforms and the media in general because they are a threat to their power. These are some big assumptions until you realise that these gentlemen are from that Gina Reinhart, Fossil Fuel Corporations & Big tobacco funded think tank, the IPA. Yes these gents are the champions of the failed multi-decade neoliberal experiment that has seen Australia reach peak inequality, peak housing unaffordability, a breach of the intergenerational contract peak price gouging of our corporations. You can always rely on the IPA to produce the distraction of loss of freedoms and the importance of allowing the media to say anything and lie to the people. Australia is as free as anywhere in the world. I know no one who feels oppressed here. The greatest danger in Australia is that concentrated media ownership in the hands of a few private corporations like the Billionaire owned Murdock Media & Stokes owned Seven Media undermines our democracy by using the media to pick their chosen party to govern us. Of course they will always pick the most corporate friendly Govt to ensure that taxpayer subsidies are provided to corporations, regulation is minimised, taxes easily avoided and profits able to flow freely. It is the media (in the IPA’s view) that must be used to create culture wars, conspiracies and bogeymen for us to blame for all of the problems in our society, instead of dealing with the economic structures that have put us in the position we are in. In the eyes of the John’s, Govts reflect broad community values when they support the values of the IPA and conservative commentators like Andrew Bolt. This sounds like a very self-serving IPA view. Strangely they have no concern that media networks like Sky Au have a 100% negative bias towards anything done by a Labor Govt. This is antidemocratic and must be controlled. Australians should not be fed disinformation by media networks run by billionaires for the interests of corporations and corporate friendly parties. I must admit the private media have been highly successful in convincing people to at times vote against their own interests. That is talent!

[@quietprofessional4557]

So did you say no to the jab? Did you have the option to say and do no? O, did you follow the narrative by mainstream media and government and comply without thinking for yourself?

[@chrisburnett4742]

@@quietprofessional4557 Yeah, I chose to have the jab. No one forced me and if I chose not to have it, I would have been fine - it’s so great to live in Australia! On the issue of whether I followed the advice of the MSM. No, I don’t take medical advice from the media. I get that from my doctor who is advised by the Science. The vaccines saved tens of thousands of lives in Australia. When my doctor told me I needed to reduce my blood pressure, I took his advice on that too, because Science tells us that high blood pressure is unhealthy and increases our risk of heart attack. I really don’t know anyone who looks to the media to decide whether to go on cholesterol medication or whether they need a hip replacement or whether they should get a vaccine.

[@quietprofessional4557]

@@chrisburnett4742 are you sure you were not forced? Did you feel afraid that the virus would kill you without knowing if it would? Did you take it because you were told it is the "right thing to do, be a good person and protect others?" Did you take it because you thought you needed it because your health and immune system was not capable of protecting you? Sure, you received it for your health because your doctor told you, but did you know that most doctors also followed the narrative and did not think to question why healthy people need a medical intervention. You can say to yourself you follow the medical experts and the science, but you do not know what the science is, you just followed "advice" a.k.a., orders from the experts. Again, are you truly free, or did you go along with majority consensus. I understand, because humans are social animals and we do not like to be outsiders of any group. And yet this also makes us vulnerable to group-think and support what the dominate, I say common, set of options and perspectives.

[@22degrees53]

Good interview

[@craigharris7236]

You do understand that they ,(ALP) just do NOT care !!!

[@therealmonty66]

Great conversation, censorship is bad and the beginning of global mind control. Dan Andrews authoritarian control of victorians lives during covid was draconian and its affect can still be felt. Trust comes from persuasion not removing the abilty to critically think.

[@Zycbank]

Freedom of speech is not exempt from the truth!

[@user-fuckyouall]

Aborigines can criticise Australians with no problem, but criticise Aborigines and Government cuts you off. Great Australian Government

[@durwhat]

Is Australia gearing up for a CBDC. A Centralised Digital Currency. If implemented we are doomed to serfdom and bending the knee to the Gov/banks. Any dissent will be noted immediately and your social credit compromised. I thought the Australian Gov might take a stand on this but it is a world wide rollout and we would be punished. Might have to move to El Salvador which is booming.

[@wilbers1970]

Top darts !!

[@chrisgriffiths2533]

Freedoms come with Responsibility. Plus We have Issues, Locations, Organisations Suffering from a Silence Problem. Plus Freedom of Speech Always Comes with Freedom to Reply. Further, Competition is Correctly in Play More Now. Hence We are Still Dealing with What is Desirable and What is Correct from Competition. Equally Leadership and the Quality of Leadership is Under Scrutiny. This goes to Minority Decisions, Quality Leadership has Often Been a Minority View which If Correct becomes the Majority View. Nothing New about this. Another Current Behaviour is the Use of :-. You Must Please All, All the Time. The Power Groups Including Politics and Media are at Times Using this When It Suits Them, Not Necessarily When it is Correct to Use YMPA,ATT. Then there is the Money Dilemma and Profitability Trumping Quality Outcomes and the Measure of this. Human Climate Change an Exact Example of this. Good Topic Thanks IPA, Thanks Orwell.

[@azzalane9770]

It all started with political correctness.

[@sharynhonor5084]

No..humans need to stay human🌺

[@kathyhirsch379]

Scotty wasn't telling the truth there are people employed to stop others not to say the anithing we not aloud to

[@camdav8323]

why are we not talking about the damage the right wing politics in the US is doing to social norms and the effect its having on our children. Sky News is complicit in this, why are we not addressing this???? yes its a left-right thing. Sad that once again middle aged solicitors pontificating their want for intellectual stardom. History will not be kind!

[@kdaessors]

people are trying. it's a tough battle!

[@jenf2857]

​@@kdaessorsthe IPA and Sky News aren't...

[@wilsonwombat3456]

The lnp have a lot to answer for.

[@tempusfugit7662]

well done - finally someone noting the recent WEF obsession with "dis-", "mis-" and "mal-" information, and Australia being shamefully "ahead of the curve". I have lived outside of Australia for the past 23 years, and it's like returning to Mars - so much has changed, but it's the little things I assumed we embraced as Australians that have shocked me the most - like the lack of belief in the phrase "I live in a free country", the obsession with digital payment systems and the move away from the independence of cash, and the overall woke obsession with controlling speech. I would say make Australia great again (MAGA) but I am probably romanticising the past and we were honestly always mired in apathy never that great. Unfortunately, you reap what you sow, and we are all in the west heading down the path of authoritarianism, willingly, even gleefully. Also, excellent point at 18:00 regarding the current ruling elites absolutely not reflecting any of the broader community values, and certainly not taking action in the best interests of the country or the people - this is likely the key problem across all western countries right now - they parrot on about democracy, freedom and values, yet they seem to act and represent the antithesis of these things - a level of congitive dissonance we have not seen before, and I feel something has to break soon. The only thing I can say is that, if we survive this period it will be a great lesson for future generations - if we survive. I would also say that Gaza is a good example where the roles have flipped - conservative former free-speech absolutists want to have those supporting Palestinian rights cancelled, when it is absolutely clear under international law and UN resolutions that Israel have undertaken a 75+ year occupation of Palestine, and are definitely trying to commit Genocide, if not actually achieving it legally (there, I spoke my mind - censor me).

[@quietprofessional4557]

While I agree with what you have written, unfortunately the majority of Australians are lazy and ignorant. They will never want freedom because personal responsibility is a dirty word in this country.

[@elizabethcooke8998]

Assimilation robs aborigines of their right to speak their language. Is that still your policy?

[@flej01]

Sticks and stones can break my bones but, only pc can hurt me. Who gets to say that someone’s words are hurtful without risking hurting someone in the process?

[@quietprofessional4557]

To speak the truth, you have to risk upsetting others.

[@grigorebernschutz4611]

Looks like you except this, I guess we have to except it!? Will be like in China shortly

[@leonharrison800]

What truth??Free speech for the Right and censor the Left?? Utter hypocracy.

[@jimmydanmarkey]

I just love listening to a Pseudo Fascistic Bunch like the IPA prognosticating on anything...

[@unjay1967]

Go away IPA. go away and never come back

[@quietprofessional4557]

Or, you could just not watch and listen.

[@alanm2809]

More right wing think tanks, they wotked so well in the UK shaping Tory policies and stuffed the country completely,

[@quietprofessional4557]

Get your jab or lose your job. Are you really free when you have negative consequences for saying no?

[@benjaminjoseph3299]

Another pair of gatekeepers 👎

[@quietprofessional4557]

Get your jab or lose your job. Are you free, if saying no has negative consequences from your government? Think about it.

[@wendyarnold6921]

Transparency about who organisations are, is extremely important to allow us to understand the video agenda more broadly. This episode smacks of conservatism and splitting against the "left" who are for the people. work through our differences with respect and don't hide your agenda. It is not fair to the audience.

[@leemccurtayne9489]

“Every generation has to fight for for their opinions” seriously just look at Barnaby lying pissed in a Main Street, yeah he is fighting for that very right to free . Give us all a break, you bunch of opinionated hypocrites. Get Gena to tell us where we are all going wrong.

[@jenf2857]

More IPA propaganda rubbish.