The weaponisation of free speech under the Morrison government

Bibliographic Data

ID6235320
AuthorsKatharine Gelber (0000-0002-0239-3552, The University of Queensland), Molly Murphy (0000-0002-3318-9124, The University of Queensland, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume58
Issue4
Pages326-342
Publication date2023-10-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAustralian Journal of Political Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1036-1146 • E-ISSN: 1363-030X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10361146.2023.2242304
OpenAlexW4385602442
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited27

In recent years, the concept of ‘free speech’ appears to have reached a position of significant prominence in public debate. In this context, we ask how the concept of free speech was used discursively by the Morrison-led government. Utilising a political discourse analytic approach, and examining texts from 2019 to 2021, we argue that, and show how, the government engaged in multiple discourses around free speech that were incompatible, inconsistent and incoherent. These inconsistencies and discontinuities were so significant as to render this a ‘weaponisation’ of free speech discourse. Thus, the article both reveals the complexities of the Morrison government’s discursive positioning of free speech, and renders sensible the otherwise nonsensical way in which ‘free speech’ was used to garner support for a range of public policies

Context (archaeology · Free speech · Government (linguistics · Linguistics · Political science · Politics · Public discourse · Sociology · Freedom of Expression and Defamation · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · History · Law · Marxism and Critical Theory · Philosophy

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access