Well done Graham for writing and posting this piece. There are some details of your article over which we will agree to disagree, but you've a long history of championing free speech, and you deserve full credit for this. High Court the appropriate place for this to be decided? Dunno. I think legal scholar George Williams has said that, either way, this will be quite a landmark High Court case. Let's hope that the High Court takes a firm stance in support of free speech.

If Ridd is wrong about the GBR, the way to handle it is to demonstrate his error. But that's not the way of the world these days - at least not the woke world.

These days they just go straight to censorship. You say something I don't like, or don't want to be true, and I'll attempt to have you silenced. Its not the way science or even civil dialogue works and its not the way forward. This new form of fighting unwanted ideas and information is part of the reason why the west is in so much trouble at the moment. People just take a side and then try to silence or cancel the others.

An additional problem is that science is now a career rather than a calling. For many (too many) its no longer about the search for truth but instead the search for advancement. So if you hang your career on the notion that the GBR is dying, you need to defend that position in the face of all other notions. Your career, your fame your financial position and you advancement are dependent on you being right. To be wrong is to be over. So you aren't open to other views - you can't be.

Whether Ridd is right or wrong about the GBR is beside the point. His right to intelligently argue his side is the issue and when we have a society where that can no longer happen (and we are almost there) then we have a society in a death spin.

The entirely impartial court is the most appropriate place
Alan B,
Ideally yes but, is there such a court ?

Yup, there is such a court and Mr Ridd will have his day in it! Where he and his legal team will be able to present all their evidence! And then let the chips fall where they may!
Alan B.

Yup, there is such a courtAlan B.
Glad to hear that but why isn't this court used everyday for everyday issues ? It'd make for a far better society than by using the courts we use now.
Ignorant & arrogant Judges making decisions on issues they have no clue on & sending decent people towards more problems whilst pussy-footing conmen & criminals in general.
How come politicians can do what they do whilst there is a court that could prevent them from making such a mess ? Why does this court allow so many crook journalists stirring up so much hatred ?
If there is such a court then let's use !!

Foxy,

The independent Australian is a blog that almost exclusively polemics that are riddled with factual inaccuracies or outright lies.