Australia’s defamation laws are hindering the #MeToo movement: Video
During this session from 2018’s Radio Alive Conference, a panel including Tracey Spicer, Virginia Trioli and Jonathon Moran discuss the impact of the #MeToo movement in the workplace.
During the following video from the 2018 Radio Alive Conference, Tracey Spicer, the journalist behind some of Australia’s biggest #metoo stories, explains why the movement here has resulted in less affirmative action than in the US.
“There has been less traction in [the #MeToo movement in] Australia for a couple of reasons. One is because we’re very conservative. Another is we have some of the most restrictive defamation laws in the western world, and we don’t have the proper free speech protections that they have in the United States. So it’s been very difficult from an investigative journalist’s perspective,” Spicer says of the challenges facing Australia.
“However, in the workplace, I’ve seen tremendous change happen at the very top end of town. There’s really hardcore stuff happening at the executive and board level of most of the blue-chip companies.”
Free speech doesn’t mean the removal of natural justice.
If the #metoo movement has slowed down maybe because it has done its job?
It certainly brought attention to the issue.
I think our defamation laws are a blessing because no one’s career should be ruined because of an allegation.
Michelle Guthrie’s pathetic accusation of Justin Milne reeked of a desperate, vexatious character using any tactic to bring a man down.
Yes I am a man ( please dont hate me I have a wife and daughter). And i think the #metoo has made most men reflect and if necessary – and i stress if necessary – correct their behaviour. And it’s been great for that.
But it is a dangerous movement if used to settle scores and embolden flimsy accusations and ruin reputations without proper legal restraints.
well said
When 20% of women have been sexually assaulted and less than 1% result in a conviction, I think men are pretty safe. A safer society needs men to get behind women, not bring up the ‘settling scores’ angle. Compare the 20% of women having been sexually assaulted, to the 2017 UK Crime Survey that reported that men are 230 times more likely to be raped themselves, than falsely accused of rape. This should put it clearly into perspective that women are the victims here, not men. Men need to stop with the ‘one false accusation and a career is over’ argument, when millions of women have been abused and their careers have been over often before they’ve even started.
The metoo movement evolved into a retaliatory movement. Some of those who made the most money off the suffering of women and men were news reporters who encouraged people to come forward with false or minor accusations that destroyed the lives of men. When did destroying someone become the standard. Behavior change is what is needed.The laws in Australia are an excellent protection for these types of accusations and for equitable change. Many of those who made the accusations have had dirt on their own hands. Going to the media is a horrible thing to do unless the accusation can be proved. Often things would not have gotten to that point if the woman or man had either gone to those in charge or the police. The metoo movement may have increased awareness, but has also reduced women in many cases to sniveling weak individuals. But it has made a lot of money for and given a lot of publicity to some reporters who have no idea what journalistic ethics are. They are the real enemies of those who have been sexually abused or discriminated against.