In this episode, Rob sits down with Trisha Jha, a policy analyst at the Centre for Independent Studies, to explore the relationship between liberalism and education. They discuss how liberal principles, like individual freedom, pluralism, and limited government, may require an educated population to survive.

Trisha Jha is a Research Fellow in the Education program, where she leads a stream of work on the science of learning, as well as projects on school improvement and educational policy. Trisha has previously had roles as a secondary teacher, including through the Teach for Australia program, in state and independent schools in regional Victoria. She has also worked as a senior policy adviser to opposition leaders in Victoria.

She holds a Masters of Teaching with a specialisation in Research from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the Australian National University.

👉 More from Trisha Jha: Free Trade vs Tariffs: https://youtu.be/n69-4wdl5b0 What is the Science of Learning? https://youtu.be/RjQ004yGsOo Learning Lessons. The future of small-group tutoring: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/learning-lessons-the-future-of-small-group-tutoring/ Implementing the Science of Learning: teacher experiences: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/implementing-the-science-of-learning-teacher-experiences/

👉 Help Australia’s Educational Standards: 🔹 Become a member: https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ 🔹 Make a donation: https://www.cis.org.au/support/donate/today/ 🔹 Learn more: https://www.cis.org.au/

All our links: https://linktr.ee/centreforindependentstudies

Watch here: https://youtu.be/DgqdELXU4BI In this episode of Liberalism in Question from the Centre for Independent Studies, economist Robert Carling discusses the alarming rise in Australian government spending and its long-term consequences.

👉 More from Robert Carling: 🔹 Leviathan on the Rampage: Government spending growth a threat to Australia’s economic future: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/leviathan-on-the-rampage-how-the-growth-of-government-is-draining-australias-economic-vitality/ 🔹Government spending and inflation: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/government-spending-and-inflation/ 🔹The Truth About The Tax Burden: https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-truth-about-the-tax-burden/

👉 Help Australia’s Economic Prosperity 🔹 Become a member: https://www.cis.org.au/membership-2-step-1/ 🔹 Make a donation: https://www.cis.org.au/support/donate/today/ 🔹 Learn more: https://www.cis.org.au/

Watch here: https://youtu.be/9bFoGoxcuQY

When Peter Kurti published "The Ties That Bind: Reconciling Value Pluralism and National Identity in Australia", Jude felt compelled to disagree vehemently, though only in a rhetorical sense!

“Australia’s multicultural democracy is under increasing pressure, not only from economic uncertainty but from the moral and cultural disagreements that have intensified in recent years. Deep cultural and moral diversity presents both remarkable opportunities and profound challenges for our national identity,” writes Peter.

Jude’s response? When disagreements grow too intense, the state must eventually intervene and take sides. He warns of ‘the tyranny of the majority’, the danger that majority opinion in a democracy can suppress dissenting voices or infringe on the basic rights of minorities. So, what happens when illiberal opinions become the dominant norm?

This is not a merely theoretical concern. We live in a time of growing social division. The war in Gaza, for example, has exposed rising levels of antisemitism in Australia which is seen by some as disturbingly close to the new normal. The mainstream media may even help to fuel these opinions in the way they report on global conflicts.

Earlier this year, the BBC admitted to airing a prime-time documentary narrated by the son of a Hamas terrorist leader. Our colleague Tom Switzer recently interviewed BBC journalist Tim Franks about this incident, broader questions of editorial bias and how journalists with strong opinions can still strive to report fairly.

So, what’s the answer?

Democracies thrive on healthy debate and a shared commitment to truth. If you're interested in Peter Kurti’s work on civil society and antisemitism, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to CIS: 👉 https://www.cis.org.au/support/donate/today/