by Chris Merritt | Mar 27, 2026 | Chris Merritt, Commentary, Media Article, Rule of Law Issue
One of the great fictions about Australia democracy is that the Constitution can only be changed if a referendum wins support from a majority of the people in a majority of the states. There is another way – one that relies on the fact that the Constitution means what...
by Chris Merritt | Mar 20, 2026 | Anti-Semitism, Chris Merritt, Commentary, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Media Article, Rule of Law Issue
This week marks the passing of Sir Anthony Mason, one of the nation’s most influential Chief Justices. His admirers will have plenty to say about the fashionable parts of his legacy. Those who praise his role in the Mabo decision and the invention of implied...
by Chris Merritt | Mar 13, 2026 | Chris Merritt, Commentary, Media Article, Rule of Law Issue
There were two attempts in Melbourne last week to reform suppression orders. One deserves to be taken seriously. The other, commissioned by the Melbourne Press Club and produced by journalism academics from Monash University, is flawed. The serious reform push that...
by Chris Merritt | Mar 5, 2026 | Chris Merritt, Commentary, Freedom of Speech, Media Article
Research by the Australian National University showing a slide in support for democracy among the young will leave many people scrambling for an explanation. Here’s one: the lawless conduct of the federal government’s eSafety Commission. This organisation’s behaviour...
by Chris Merritt | Feb 26, 2026 | Chris Merritt, Commentary, Defamation, Media Article
When it comes to legal ethics Shane Drumgold SC refuses to accept the reality of his position. And so, it seems, does the Press Council. It might seem surprising that a well known silk like Drumgold would choose the Press Council and not the justice system to settle...
by Chris Merritt | Feb 20, 2026 | Anti-Semitism, Chris Merritt, Commentary, Freedom of Speech, Media Article
With almost no public scrutiny, peak Islamic organisations have moved beyond trying to water down the definition of terrorism and now have a more ambitious agenda. They are trying to abolish hate speech laws in NSW that they believe can be used in a discriminatory...
