The Unshackled Waves Ep. 78 Interview Show with Law Academic Dr Augusto Zimmermann

Video Version

Show Description
On our interview show this week our guest is law academic Dr Augusto Zimmerman who is Director of Postgraduate Research at Murdoch University in Western Australia. He is also President of the Western Australian Legal Theory Association and a Commissioner with the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia. He was a candidate to be the next President of the Australian Human Rights Commission and was the clear standout candidate for those who wanted to see the Human Rights Commission focus on real freedoms and human rights. Unfortunately, the Turnbull Government went for the safe option and appointed Rosalind Croucher as the new Commission President. He’s also the co-author No Offence Intended: Why 18C is Wrong along with No Offence Intended: Why 18C is Wrong published by our friends at Connor Court Publishing.

We first ask him to give an overview of his academic work. We then discuss threats to freedom of speech in Australia apart from 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. We also explore his other passion in the area of human rights which is the abuse of domestic violence orders and how they violate legal principles. We also discuss his arguments against the constitutionality of 18C in his book on the subject.

We then turn to his application to be next President of the Human Rights Commission and first get his opinion on why the government didn’t have the courage to appoint someone such as him and do they have courage to reform any other leftist institution. We also ask him if he was appointed Commission President and what areas of human rights would be his focus and how he would reform the organization. We also ask his thoughts about whether the new President Rosalind Croucher has the will or the courage to significant change the operation of the Commission.