Universities Protecting Freedom of Speech Amid Campus Protests: Secretary

The federal Education Department has affirmed freedom of speech is protected at Australian universities amid concerns of anti-semitic messaging during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus. During a Budget Estimates hearing on June 6, Department Secretary Tony Cook discussed how freedom of speech was being implemented. “The TEQSA [Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency], in relation to the regulatory activity that they undertake in terms of quality, one of the things that they would be checking is ensuring that every university has basically a freedom of speech and academic freedom code or policy,” he said. “Under legislation, universities must allow the freedom of academic staff and students to express their opinions.”...