James Cook University professor sacking 'unlawful' – Court

The Federal Circuit Court of Australia has found that James Cook University acted unlawfully in dismissing a physics professor for his criticisms of colleagues’ work, writes Fergus Hunter for The Sydney Morning Herald.

Peter Ridd was sacked last year after he repeatedly questioned the quality of research about the impact of global warming on the Great Barrier Reef. Ridd had disparaged colleagues’ work as untrustworthy and "misleading" in correspondence with a journalist and in television interviews.

Because of Ridd’s outspoken scepticism of climate change science, the case has been at the centre of debate about the state of free speech in academia. Judge Salvatore Vasta found the university's actions against Dr Ridd, including his dismissal, were all unlawful. Noting that some coverage had painted the matter as an example of controversial views being silenced, Judge Vasta said the trial was "purely and simply about the proper construction of a clause in an enterprise agreement". The judgment also said the university had failed to fully understand the importance of intellectual freedom.
Full report on The Sydney Morning Herald site