The Coalition needs to perform a handbrake U-turn, and fast. For the Liberals under Peter Dutton to be on the same side of the free speech debate (ie opposed to it) as the likes of Anthony Albanese, the Greens, Jacqui Lambie and the Teals is nothing short of disastrous.

Whatever foolish notion (or advisers) encouraged Peter Dutton to position himself against freedom of expression, X and Elon Musk and in favour of government censorship and nanny-state authoritarianism is probably irrelevant, but the damage is done and the only way forward is to amputate the limb and cauterise the wound.