AustralasiaCivil LibertiesCivil RightsDemocracyFeaturesMediaOpinionPoliticsWorld

We need the voices of public servants in the political debate. Their free speech is in peril

Praising your agency is welcome, but not criticising it – new social media guidelines continue a troubling trend of silencing public servants

John Wilson and Kieran Pender 

The Guardian

  • John Wilson is the managing legal director of Bradley Allen Love Lawyers
  • Kieran Pender is a freelance journalist and legal researcher

Another day, another attack on the ability of public servants to participate in Australian democracy.

On Monday the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) released revised guidance on how federal government employees should use social media.

Elll 5eIt advised that expressing disagreement with government policy, criticising the prime minister or even liking a negative social media post could land public servants in hot water.

This, the APSC contended, was the case whether or not…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button