Out of kilter with reality

The conclusions of the report on free speech are sensible and welcome, but the work of the committee raises as many questions as it answers.

After what seems like months of gathering evidence, the joint committee on human rights has published its report on free speech in universities. It concludes that “the extent to which students restrict free speech at universities should not be exaggerated…it is not a pervasive problem”. Somewhere, a giant “we told you so” klaxon is ringing—and questions have to be asked about why so much time has been spent on this issue, especially by a joint committee of both houses of parliament.

The report says that “much of the concern about free speech appears to have come from a small number of incidents which have been widely reported”. It might be appropriate to add that much of the concern about free speech has come from ministers who sought to use the issue as a way of leveraging influence over universities while playing to the gallery within their own party.