The IRU identifies two specific issues for universities in the government’s religious freedom bills

While the Innovative Research Universities “strongly support” protections against religious discrimination, the group’s points out, “there is no serious suggestion of a problem with religious freedom on campus.”

But in a submission on the legislation IRU sees two issues where it, “could conflict with the effective operation of a university.

The lobby suggests staff and students should not be permitted to proselytise in class, to the “detriment” of students learning. “It is not clear whether the proposed laws would permit a university to constrain this kind of religious-driven activity where it conflicts with educational goals.”

And the IRU recommends the government drop the proposal to allow employers to direct staff on out of hours’ expression, if it would cause “financial hardship” to an employer. “Damage to a university’s academic reputation, for example, could potentially be more damaging to a university than financial loss alone.” The submission suggests leaving the issue to “the general principles of the bill”.

Do these devils in the detail remind you of anything? How about proposals for an all-university free speech code? As the IRU puts it; “as with the debate around freedom of speech, however, it is relatively easy to agree a principle but more difficult to define how such a principle will be applied in real life, particularly when balanced against other, existing rights.”