A new legislation to further strengthen freedom of speech protections at Australian universities has been passed by parliament. The Higher Education Support Amendment (Freedom of Speech) Bill 2020 (pdf) amends the Higher Education Support Act 2003 by providing a clear definition of ‘academic freedom’. It also replaces the use of ‘free intellectual inquiry’ with the terms ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘academic freedom’. “Universities are places for critical thinking, debate and challenging ideas, and they must be places that also protect free speech, even when what is being said may be unpopular or challenging,” Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said in a statement. “The passing of this Bill requires universities to uphold these fundamental principles on campuses across Australia.” The bill follows former High Court Chief Justice Robert French’s recommendations after leading an independent review into freedom of speech in higher education in 2018. French concluded that claims of a freedom …