Recent publications
Class in America
One of the great strengths of American society has been its social mobility. But according to the American Enterprise Institute's Charles Murray, that social mobility and the connection between average Americans and a new uber-intellectual and...
The totalitarian urge to censor
Like many a journalist past, Nick Cohen has raised the battle flag against censors. The reason is simple; people who love language should never salute its executioners. Five-time author and resolute liberal, Cohen hedges his bets by writing for...
IPA says 'no secret deals' on free speech
Media executives and the federal government have no right to secretly negotiate and agree to curbs on free speech, according to the free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs. "Freedom of speech is a right that belongs to all...
Gillard government internet surveillance laws unprecedented threat to civil liberties
"The Gillard Government's proposed internet surveillance laws will fundamentally erode civil liberties and should be rejected outright," said Simon Breheny, director of the Rule of Law Project at the free market think tank the Institute of Public...
Poll: Media goes too far in attacks on rich
A new poll conducted by Galaxy Research for the Institute of Public Affairs shows that a majority of the Australian people is fed up with attacks on rich people by the media. Galaxy asked 1,053 respondents across Australia from 15-17 June 2012:...
Real conservatives
This is a marvellous book. It has many things to recommend it. A list of the book's many merits would go something like this (in order of importance): it's interesting; it's opinionated; it's extremely readable; it explains why John Major and...
All states must follow Queensland and end native vegetation prosecutions
"The Campbell Newman government's decision to suspend investigations and prosecution under their Queensland Vegetation Management Act should be repeated around the country," said Simon Breheny, director of the Rule of Law Project at the free...
Enemies of free speech
Infringements on freedom of speech are hard to justify, and they should be. The public debate that grows out of freedom of speech is the fundamental social process we use in a democracy to get things right-to sort out the good arguments from the...
Top 20 pro-freedom films you must see
Australia's helmet law disaster
Australia is one of only two countries in the world with national all-age mandatory bicycle helmet laws (MHLs). Introduced by state and territory governments under threat of cuts to federal road funding in the early 1990s, the idea that it should...