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Russell Broadbent defends free speech against the classification board's push for more control over content

Russell Broadbent opposes the Australian Classification Board's push for reclassification, warning against bureaucratic overreach, narrative control, and the erosion of free speech in Australia's democratic society.

By news@gippsland - 12th February 2025 - Back to News

Russell Broadbent here, your Independent Member for Monash. You may have seen that the Australian Classification Board has asked for more power which would allow them to reclassify old books, films and television shows against today's community standards. The Australia that I know and love promotes robust debate and honest conversation.

Russell Broadbent warns against the Australian Classification Board's reclassification push, calling it an alarming attempt to control history and restrict free speech

Controlling the narrative

So, I find it deeply alarming that another unelected bureaucratic agency is fishing for yet more control and power over our freedoms. George Orwell famously said 'who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.' Yes, what the Classification Board are asking for isn't necessarily censorship, but it is certainly an attempt to control the narrative. Controlling the narrative now, where have we heard that before?

As Geordie Williamson said in The Australian, 'both sides of politics have sought to re-establish themselves as arbiters of what the rest of us may see, hear or read.' Just look at the Mis and Disinformation Bill, which was scrapped after an unrelenting grassroots campaign calling for our freedoms to be protected.

Rewriting history fairly

I dare say that in some ten, fifteen, twenty years from now, our seemingly perfect and 'woke' present will not be deemed acceptable against future community standards. It's incomprehensible to me that what was the social norm in the past will be measured against today's standards.

I'm all about rewriting history when it comes to ensuring that we don't make the same mistakes of the past. But I'm not about rewriting history when the purpose is to control the narrative. That's justice as I see it.

Pictures from Russell Broadbent MP Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com