Legal Policy
‘I’m the only consistent supporter of free speech in this parliament’
The free speech debate in Australia is not in good shape. In the federal Parliament, I am the only politician to consistently defend freedom of speech. It’s a lonely mission and needs to change. It is obvious the Government only
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Childcare: deregulate, don’t subsidise
Every time I make comments critical of childcare subsidies, the internet explodes with abuse about the evil, childless, cat-owning libertarian who doesn’t understand that bearing children requires lashings of other people’s money. The internet outrage always misses my main point:
Read MoreReclaiming Citizenship
Earlier this year, ‘Reclaim Australia’ and various counter-protests were in the news as people hurled abuse at each other and engaged in punch-ups. And since both sides had a fair sprinkling of the great unwashed, we all got to admire
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Prisoners should be allowed to smoke
Many people won’t have much sympathy for the Victorian prisoners who started a riot after being banned from smoking, and I can accept that sentiment up to a point. My sympathy for prisoners does not run deep and I have
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Bullying smokers
It is becoming less and less socially acceptable to bully people nowadays. Picking on people because of their physical appearance, opinions or intelligence is frowned upon. But there are some people who remain fair game – smokers. Which is why,
Read MoreTaxation, a costly sacrifice of individual choice
Taking Classical Liberalism to the people – article in the Financial Review After I was elected, during a trip to Canberra, I stood at the Australian War Memorial and looked down Anzac Parade. Parliament House dwarfed its predecessor, stretching its
Read MorePolicies to cut out and keep
I MADE history in the Senate last December. I am the first senator to introduce a bill that received only one vote in its favour, mine. Across the chamber, the other senators were either herded together by their whips or
Read MoreIf 2014 was a sad year for liberty in Australia, 2015 will be no better
The Abbott government struggled to gain passage of anything worthwhile in its first full year. Most of its economic reforms were stymied, with higher education the most notable failure. It’s fair to say the deficit problem is still far from
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Everyone has something to hide if universal data retention becomes law in Australia
Last week, attorney general George Brandis described data retention as “absolutely crucial in identifying terrorist networks and protecting the public”. On that basis, he argued for passage of the government’s data retention legislation. This assertion is simply false. The government has all
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The tariff wall that hurts us all
The tariff wall that hurts us all Hot on the heels of the free trade deal with China there is clamouring for further deals with the likes of India and Indonesia. But if we want higher wages, cheaper stuff, less
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