The Politicisation of Open Debate: The Hypocrisy of the Robert Menzies Institute

Universities have been, and should always be, a place to exercise free speech and engage in open debate. In an age of filter bubbles and narrowcasting of information, our society is becoming less and less acquainted with the disconcerting feeling of open discussion with someone you fundamentally disagree with. Thrashing out differences is how the common good is determined, how cultural norms are solidified, and how compromise is achieved.

For a variety of reasons, these difficult discussions have become harder to resolve. Our tech and media landscapes make it harder to determine trustworthy information, while at the same time making it easier to selectively pick the facts you prefer. As a result, our forums for effective debate have been