Join us Saturday night, 13 June for a live panel discussion:

What is Hate Speech?

Hate speech has been in the news recently. In January, the Albanese government passed laws combatting antisemitism, hate and extremism, giving the relevant minister powers to outlaw hate groups. And in March, the Queensland government banned the slogans "From the river to the sea" and "Globalise the intifada”, used by some Palestine activists. These laws have been controversial.

Used across the political aisle to stir up conflicting opinions, “hate speech" has no consistent definition, making it a perfect topic for Common Ground.

Join us on Saturday night 13 June at The Base Health as we explore these examples and more. We will ask the question: What is hate speech, and what laws should there be against it?

The panel brings together three speakers of different political persuasions and opinions on these controversial issues. The night will then open up to the audience for questions and comments. It will be an evening that is sure to make everyone think deeply about the words we write and speak.

After the conversation with the guests, we will open the conversation up to the audience.

Common Ground’s Mission Statement

Worried by the heated and divisive state of public discussion today, Common Ground's Mission Statement is to build a conversational community to facilitate productive discussion and critical thinking about complex and controversial issues. People with different opinions and perspectives are welcome. Common Ground is a place to share and a space to listen.

Come along. Learn something new, make a friend! BYOB. (Bring Your Own Brain).

When & Where

Saturday, 13 June at The Base Health, 3 Tudor St, Newcastle West.

Doors open from 6:45pm for 7:15pm start. We aim to wrap up by 9:00pm.
Tea and coffee available.

Meet the Speakers!

Charlotte McCabe - Deputy Lord Mayor, Newcastle Council, Federal Greens candidate, GAICD

Charlotte McCabe is an elected Councillor for Newcastle City Council and is currently serving in her second term. She’s a primary school teacher and environmental educator, and has lived and worked in Victoria, the Northern Territory and NSW.

Charlotte has also been a community organiser alongside volunteering for social and environmental campaigns for the last thirty years. She’s been a spokesperson for her community on climate related issues including coal dust, ammonium nitrate storage, coal port diversification and offshore gas.

Charlotte has previously been a candidate for the Greens in Newcastle for the 2019 state election; and the 2022 and 2025 federal campaigns.

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-mccabe-7087107a/

Dr Russell Blackford - Philosopher, Legal Scholar

Russell Blackford is a philosopher, legal scholar, and literary critic, and a widely published essayist and commentator. He has an honorary appointment at the University of Newcastle as Conjoint Senior Lecturer in Philosophy. He has enjoyed a distinguished career in academia, public policy management, and the legal profession. Since the 1980s, he has also built an international career as a writer and editor.

Russell’s formal qualifications include an LLB with First Class Honours from the University of Melbourne and a PhD in philosophy from Monash University, where his doctoral dissertation applied ideas from liberal theory and philosophy of law to topical issues in debate over bioethics. He is the author, co-author, or co-editor of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction, as well as book chapters, academic articles, op-eds, short stories, and book reviews. His most recent books are The Tyranny of Opinion: Conformity and the Future of Liberalism (Bloomsbury, 2019), At the Dawn of a Great Transition: The Question of Radical Enhancement (Schwabe Verlag, 2021), and How We Became Post-Liberal: The Rise and Fall of Toleration (Bloomsbury, 2024).

For his contributions to humanist thought, Russell was inducted in 2014 into the International Academy of Humanism.

UoN Staff Profile: https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/russell-blackford

Blog: https://metamagician3000.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-blackford-8b64183/

Neil Foster - Associate Professor in the School of Law & Justice, University of Newcastle

Neil Foster is an Associate Professor in the School of Law & Justice at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. He has a combined Arts/Law degree from the University of NSW, a degree in Theology from the Australian College of Theology, a Diploma of Arts in Theology from Moore Theological College, and a research Master of Laws degree from the University of Newcastle.

He teaches Torts and electives in “Workplace Health and Safety Law” and “Law and Religion”. He is a co-author of textbooks on Torts and Property Law published by LexisNexis Australia, the sole author of a book on WHS Law published by the same company, a co-editor of a book on “Law and Religion in the Commonwealth” published by Hart, and runs a blog on Law and Religion issues.

Blog: https://lawandreligionaustralia.blog/

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-foster-2b3b8b3a/

Moderator Alex Morris is a writer, MC and events organiser. Originally from the States, she's lived in Newcastle for over a decade and hosts and runs many interesting and fun events. She loves throwing/attending a good party and equally adores intelligent, thought-provoking conversation. Learn more about Alex by reading her Substack Newsletter, The Weekly Write.

Follow CommonGroundNewcastle on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
https://facebook.com/commongroundnewcastle
https://instagram.com/commongroundnewcastle
https://www.linkedin.com/company/commongroundnewcastle

Contact the host of Common Ground: What is Hate Speech?

There were 0 errors found in the information you submitted: