After many months of bitter debate about the Voice, an address to the National Press Club this week reminds us that we are back at a point where it seems that, no matter what the truth may be, we will not let it lead to any change, writes Laura Tingle.
I’m not arguing the validity of temporary lockdown restrictions due to public health emergencies. I largely agree with the measures. I’m just pointing out your example of “well our constitution doesn’t explicitly protect this, yet we can all still do it” is really not the same thing as having explicit protections of a freedom.
It’s more applicable with freedom of speech. Australia does not have explicit constitutionally protected freedom of speech. Which is never important until all of a sudden it is!
Look at what happened to the ABC a few years back when the AFP raided them after reporting on the activities of some members of our military.
Military activities are a completely different thing. Just ask Julian Assange what the US military thinks about exercising freedom of speech in the context of military actions.