Silencing Dissent: How The Australian Government Is Controlling Public Opinion And Stifling Debate

Since gaining power in 1996, the Australian Government led by John Howard has systematically silenced critics of its policies and independent experts and commentators whose messages are unpalatable. The attacks on individuals and institutions has meant the exclusion of a range of voices from the democratic processes designed to provide for public debate and accommodate dissenting opinions. The tactics documented in Silencing Dissent are diverse, and include: the denigration of non-government organisations and sometimes the individuals within them; the politicisation of the public service and statutory bodies; the use of the Tax Office as a political device; the withdrawal (or threat of withdrawal) of government funding; restrictions on academic freedom; the manipulation of the media; the appointment of party functionaries or friends to key positions; and the political use of Australia's military and intelligence services including the victimisation of individuals who refuse to toe the official line.

Supported by detailed and at times shocking case studies, Silencing Dissent documents the deliberate strategies used by the Howard Government to mute opposition to government policy and control public opinion. At the heart of the book is the authors' concern for Australian society and democracy. Are we a country that values public participation and debate, or have we instead chosen a path where the only legitimate democratic participation by Australian citizens is through their trips to the ballot boxes every three years? Silencing Dissent is a thought-provoking read, raising worrying questions about the state of democracy in Australia.