Ms Claire Lehmann: Misinformation Bill - Single Arbiter of Truth?

SUMMARY:
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In this talk from the Round Table Forum of WHA, the speaker tackles the proposed misinformation bill and explains why giving the government the power to declare what is true risks far greater harm than the fringe falsehoods it aims to stop. The presentation begins by acknowledging real harms caused by online misinformation and shares personal examples of being targeted by smears — including a single tweet that morphed into an untrue RationalWiki entry. Drawing on historical lessons like nineteenth‑century English vaccination laws and Australia's COVID‑era experience, the speaker shows how state attempts to control information can backfire, deepen mistrust and strengthen conspiracy thinking. The talk walks through the bill's key provisions, outlines how they threaten democratic freedoms and suggests alternative, liberty‑respecting ways to reduce harm without appointing a single arbiter of truth. For those who care about free speech, public debate and trusting Australians to make their own decisions, this presentation offers valuable insights into the dangers of government-controlled information policies.

RUMBLE DESCRIPTION:
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In this recording from the Western Heritage Australia Forum, the speaker unpacks why the proposed misinformation bill is misguided and potentially dangerous. Rather than denying that online falsehoods can cause real harm, the presentation opens by acknowledging those harms and sharing personal examples of online smears and how a single false tweet can be amplified into so‑called 'fact' on sites like RationalWiki.
The talk is structured in three parts. First, the speaker explains the real risks that false information can pose to people and public debate. Then historical and recent examples are offered — from nineteenth‑century English vaccination laws to Australia's COVID experience and the Voice referendum — to show how government attempts to police truth often backfire and entrench mistrust. Finally, the presentation examines the bill's specific provisions, explains the implications for civil liberties and free speech, and proposes alternative approaches that aim to reduce harm without handing power over to a single state arbiter of truth.
The speaker encourages constructive conversation about whether Australians should be trusted to weigh evidence and debate, or whether the state should decide what counts as truth — a fundamental question about democracy and free speech in the digital age.

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