The ironic aftermath of Eatock v Bolt

Abstract

This article reviews the decision of the Federal Court in Eatock v Bolt and then turns to its aftermath - the campaign to amend the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). The campaign to amend s 18C, like any public debate of a complex legal issue, was at times unsatisfactory. However, in this article it is argued that there were deeper flaws in the campaign against s 18C that undermined the very commitment to freedom of speech on which the campaign was based.