Academic Freedom and Science Suppression in Australian Ecology

Research conducted by The Ecological Society of Australia found that scientific advice on the environment and threatened species is being withheld from public debate.

The study found that approximately half of government respondents, and nearly 40 per cent of industry respondents, had been prohibited from public communication about their research. This includes discussion of the impacts of logging, mining, land clearing and climate change.

The consequences of this kind of suppression are profound. Policies related to climate change, bushfires, or development regulation risk not being informed by the best science, and decision-makers do not always have full knowledge when making decisions.

Listen to ESA Past President Dr Don Driscoll discuss the results of the study.