His maiden speech in Parliament became the first in Australian history banned from YouTube. Then it hit three million views.

John Ruddick — NSW Legislative Council MLC, Sky News regular, and free speech absolutist — joins Perth Dialogues to talk about what actually got him banned, the High Court challenge he's leading against the government's under-16 social media ban, and his answer to a bigger question: who actually controls public conversation in Australia today?

John's maiden speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw1zPTDEVxA

In this conversation:

- How a mortgage broker became a Libertarian Party MLC after the COVID lockdowns

- The maiden speech that became the first in Australian parliamentary history banned from YouTube

- Leading the High Court challenge against the under-16 social media ban

- His view on what the ban is really about — and why he doesn't believe it's about child safety

- Who he believes actually controls public conversation today- His opposition to NSW's hate speech laws

- Where he believes the real limits of free speech should sit

- His message to anyone who finds his views confronting

Follow the conversation:00:00 The Maiden Speech That Got Banned From YouTube

01:45 How Did John Ruddick Get Into Politics?

02:17 Why He Left the Liberal Party for the Libertarians

04:43 What Actually Got His Maiden Speech Banned?

07:43 Was He Always a Free Speech Absolutist?

16:13 What Is the High Court Challenge Against the Social Media Ban?

22:01 Do Kids Need Protecting Online — or Is This About Control?

33:43 So Who Actually Controls the Conversation Today?

40:47 Why Does He Oppose NSW's Hate Speech Laws?

45:16 Where Should the Line on Free Speech Actually Be?

48:28 His Message to Anyone Who Finds His Views Unsettling

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