About the event

Bookings are now closed. Please note bookings close 1 hour before the seminar.

This seminar is also being delivered via webinar.

The Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Bill 2020 amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to provide a clear definition of academic freedom and replaces the term ‘free intellectual inquiry’ with ‘freedom of speech and ‘academic freedom’.

The legislation aligns the Higher Education Support Act 2003 with the Model Code on freedom of speech and academic freedom recommended by former High Court Chief Justice the Hon Robert French AC.

The French Model Code supports reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent any person from using lawful speech which a reasonable person would regard, in the circumstances, as likely to humiliate or intimidate other persons. However, it does not extend to protecting a person from feeling offended or shocked or insulted by the lawful speech of another. 

All 41 Australian universities now have policies in place to strengthen and protect free speech and academic freedoms on campus, aligning with the model code recommended by the Hon Robert French AC.

Join us for an informative seminar that will explore free speech and academic freedoms on campus.

Level: General

LAW SOCIETY OFFICES VISITOR PROTOCOL – COVID 19

From Monday 31 January 2022, all visitors to our offices who do not have a medical exemption must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.