Senator Andrew Bartlett
Saturday, August 20, 2005
 
Footy & Free Speech
I see the AFL is once again cracking down hard on coaches criticising the game's umpires on the grounds that it stops people from volunteering to be umpires, and reduces the quality of the talent pool available for this difficult job.

I quite like Andrew Demetriou and have previously noted his views with approval. I also agree umpires have a difficult job and should generally be supported. But I have to say, given the importance of the principle of freedom of speech, I find it amazing that it is actually legal for the AFL (or the NRL for that matter) to fine people thousands of dollars just for saying an umpire had a lousy game or made some bad decisions.

I wonder how well it would go down if we tried the same principle with politicians? After all, it's often said we need people from a wider cross-section of the community in our Parliaments, and there is no doubt that many people are put off going into politics because you can cop so much criticism and unwarranted scrutiny of your private life. Come to think of it, having balance of power in the Senate was a bit like being an umpire – both sides abusing half your decisions and the public just remembering the one decision they thought was a shocker while forgetting the 100 you got right.

Maybe if Andrew Demetriou filled the looming vacancy in the High Court, the Court's previous decision to recognise an implied right to freedom of speech might be overturned. Then the Electoral Commission could hand out fines every time a journalist criticised a Senator. It's tough work being an umpire in the Senate after all, and we don't want to put good people off volunteering for the job.

(PS Just in case it's not clear, the suggestion in the above paragraph about penalising criticism of politicians is a joke.)

ADDITION - 24/8: The furore over alleged remarks by an umpire after the St Kilda-Fremantle game could be seen to make the case against my position, but I think you do more harm by stifling reasonable criticism (as opposed to slander) than by letting it flow. Mind you, I haven’t found too many people that agree with me (apart from AFL coaches probably), but this piece by Peter Lalor in The Australian pretty much reflects my views.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Saturday, August 20, 2005 Permalink
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