The Senate this week passed a motion calling for the government to establish a federal anti-corruption commission. The government is more likely to beef up existing institutions but Justice Party senator Derryn Hinch, who has been a strong advocate for a national ICAC, says “that would be wrong.” “We have to have an independent...

This week the government asked former High Court Chief Justice Robert French to head an inquiry into free speech on universities. Education minister Dan Tehan claimed it was because concerns had been raised about people shutting down the views of those they disagree with, and security costs for controversial speakers on campus.

Universities are acc...

Secure messaging services like WhatsApp often feature in the news in the context of their potential use by terrorists.

But paradoxically they are now used increasingly by Commonwealth government ministers and other senior officials.

This raises important issues in terms of record-keeping, and whether messages on these services are accessible via...