George Brandis is wrong, consensus on climate change is not an attack on free speech

In a recent interview George Brandis criticised the consensus view on climate change as an attack on free speech, citing John Stuart Mill in support. In Brandis misses the finer points of free speech Henry Martyn Lloyd argues that Brandis is wrong.

Brandis seems to think that it is necessary that debate continue until those in error come to accept their error. Mill had no such requirement and nor should he.

For Mill there is nothing in principle that prevents the forming of a consensus view on any matter, scientific, religious, or political. In fact, Mill held that the ideal of knowledge is true consensus. Ensuring liberty of thought and discussion does not prevent consensus, rather the opposite, the ideal of discussion is convergence on truth even though this convergence will always be incomplete and must never become dogmatic.