Good luck relying on this country’s parliament.

"The law needs to change and the courts can't do that, only people can demand that that happen, and really it is the only way a democracy can function".

Good luck with relying on people, too, as long as they vote only because they have to, and haven't got a clue what they are voting for.

Australia is rooted.

I agree with Ttbn - Australia is rooted, but not just Australia, the whole world is.

The bottom line is that we are the sheep and the state/government is the wolf, we are prey and they are predators: no amount of words, crying or pen-marks could change that, "democracy" is but a thin veiling fig-leaf and while the regime likes to be covered by that title, it will have no inhibitions to shed it if they need to.

What to do?
Salvation will not come from any earthly actions, only God can help us, so pray and trust the almighty whose wrath no regime can bear.

Bit of a ho hum article.

Using the word "freedom fighters" also grinds my gears a bit though.

It is pretty self evident that Ridd is a prickly pig headed chap who decided to dispense with normal university niceties and have a real dig at colleagues.

The real freedom fighters were those union reps who forced the academic freedoms into the workplace agreement, something Ridd belatedly used when it suited him.

Peter Ridd was accorded every facet of fair and due legal process!

His views were thoroughly ventilated and promulgated! He wanted to effectively say, black was white pertaining to the health of the reef?

That his high;y controversial and contentious views were not supported by the rest of the marine scientific community, speaks volumes!

Moreover, his dismissal stands as fair? Others would take their (danger to shipping) ego-deflating comeuppance and just move on?

He hasn't a (science-based) leg left to stand on and some believe he needs an act of parliament to give him one?

Maybe? How about an irrevocable bill of rights equally applicable to every Australian citizen? Who could ask for more or any fairer than that!?
Alan B.

It is a pyrrhic victory for JCU as firstly they are out of pocket for over $1m, and secondly, the high court judgement showed that their original disciplinary actions against Ridd based on his speaking out was not justified.

This judgement will prevent JCU and other universities from using vague "codes of conduct" to control and censor academics.

If this judgement had been in place Rugby Australia might not have made such a huge cock up in trying to fire Folau.