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University students report ‘serious’ free speech problem in new survey

At least one-in-five students at every public university in Australia don’t feel free to express their views on campus, according to a new analysis of government survey data.

AAP reports the findings come from a report by the Liberal-aligned Menzies Research Centre , based on responses to the federal government’s annual Student Experiences Survey.

The survey has asked higher education students about freedom of expression since 2021 but university-level results have not previously been released.

The report says the trend has worsened in recent years and universities should be held accountable for how free students feel in expressing themselves.

In 2024, 28.3% of domestic undergraduate students did not agree that they were free to express their views at university. Among postgraduates, 32.5% reported the same.

This is up from 24% among undergraduates and 28% among postgraduates in 2021.