Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) 2020

# Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Bill 2020 ## What it does This bill changes how Australian universities must protect freedom of speech and academic freedom. It replaces the vaguer term "free intellectual inquiry" with a detailed definition that covers staff and students' rights to teach, research, publish, express opinions, and debate ideas without restriction. ## Why it matters Universities receive federal funding tied to these requirements, so this change creates a legal obligation for them to actively protect speech and debate on campus. It signals that the government wants stronger protections against universities restricting what academics and students can say or research. ## Key details - **Expanded definition**: Academic freedom now explicitly includes staff's right to teach and publish research findings, and both staff and students' right to express opinions about their subjects, their university, and public debates - **Autonomy protected**: Universities get freedom to choose what courses they offer and how to teach them, without government micromanagement - **Comes into effect**: The day after receiving Royal Assent (late 2020) - **Who it affects**: Primarily universities receiving federal funding, plus their staff and students

🔒 Voting closed — this bill has been decided by parliament