Editing James Cook University (section)

===Peter Ridd sacking===
In November 2017, marine physicist [[Peter Ridd]] commenced proceedings in the [[Federal Circuit Court of Australia|Federal Circuit Court]] against the university alleging that by censuring and eventually dismissing him from his employment, JCU had breached the intellectual freedom provision in its enterprise agreement, in violation of the [[Fair Work Act]]. Ridd was a long-term professor who had been the head of the physics department from 2009 to 2016, and head of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at JCU for 15 years. He had been critical of the accuracy of studies by the JCU marine studies centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/judge-vasta-to-proceed-with-existing-cases-20190722-p529ik|work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|title=Judge Vasta to proceed with existing cases|access-date=2 January 2020|first=Robert|last=Bolton|date=22 July 2019|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102065457/https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/judge-vasta-to-proceed-with-existing-cases-20190722-p529ik|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-04-23/peter-ridd-reef-science-climate-change/11026540|title=Peter Ridd reef science climate change|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 July 2020|access-date=12 July 2020|archive-date=2 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902131044/https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-04-23/peter-ridd-reef-science-climate-change/11026540|url-status=live}}</ref> JCU maintained that "it had never sought to silence Ridd, and his sacking was due to 'serious misconduct' and breaches of the university's code".<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Smee|first1=Ben|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=2020-07-22|title=James Cook University wins appeal in Peter Ridd unfair dismissal case|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case|access-date=2021-04-07|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=30 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730015249/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following a hearing, the Federal Circuit Court found that the university's actions were unlawful,<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/06/peter-ridd-awarded-12m-in-unfair-dismissal-case-against-james-cook-university| title=Peter Ridd awarded $1.2m in unfair dismissal case against James Cook University| newspaper=The Guardian| date=6 September 2019| last1=Smee| first1=Ben| access-date=26 January 2020| archive-date=3 February 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203032040/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/06/peter-ridd-awarded-12m-in-unfair-dismissal-case-against-james-cook-university| url-status=live}}</ref> and in September 2019 ordered JCU to pay $1.2 million in compensation to Ridd.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-06/jcu-ordered-to-pay-1.2m-compensation-peter-ridd/11487086 | title=University ordered to pay $1.2m compensation to wrongly sacked professor | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=6 September 2019 | access-date=26 January 2020 | archive-date=3 February 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203031540/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-06/jcu-ordered-to-pay-1.2m-compensation-peter-ridd/11487086 | url-status=live }}</ref> The Court found that JCU had failed to respect the rights to intellectual freedom under its enterprise agreement.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/damaged-goods-professor-awarded-1-2m-for-uni-s-unlawful-sacking-20190906-p52op3.html | title='Damaged goods': Professor awarded $1.2m for uni's unlawful sacking | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=6 September 2019 | access-date=26 January 2020 | archive-date=26 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126002311/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/damaged-goods-professor-awarded-1-2m-for-uni-s-unlawful-sacking-20190906-p52op3.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2020, a Full Court of the [[Federal Court of Australia]] overturned the Federal Circuit Court's decision, finding that JCU's actions did not breach the Fair Work Act and that the enterprise agreement did not give Ridd an "untrammelled right" to express professional opinions beyond the standards imposed by the university's code of conduct.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smee |first1=Ben |title=James Cook University wins appeal in Peter Ridd unfair dismissal case |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case |access-date=24 July 2021 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609225800/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case |url-status=live }}</ref>  In February 2021, the [[High Court of Australia]] granted special leave to Ridd to appeal the decision. The High Court heard the matter in June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-15|title=High Court appeal for sacked academic Ridd|url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/high-court-appeal-for-sacked-academic-ridd-c-2601434|access-date=2021-04-16|website=The West Australian|language=en|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418175704/https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/high-court-appeal-for-sacked-academic-ridd-c-2601434|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-11|title=Controversial marine scientist gets chance to fight his dismissal in High Court|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-11/marine-expert-peter-ridd-coral-bleaching-case-heard-high-court/13144912|access-date=2021-04-16|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU|archive-date=28 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528060135/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-11/marine-expert-peter-ridd-coral-bleaching-case-heard-high-court/13144912|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 13, 2021, the High Court unanimously dismissed the appeal brought by Ridd.<ref name= "Guardian2021">{{cite news |last1=Karp |first1=Paul |title=Peter Ridd loses 'all-or-nothing' high court appeal over sacking from James Cook University |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/13/peter-ridd-loses-all-or-nothing-high-court-appeal-over-sacking-from-james-cook-university |access-date=20 November 2021 |work=The Guardian |agency=Australian Associated Press |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=1 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201104238/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/13/peter-ridd-loses-all-or-nothing-high-court-appeal-over-sacking-from-james-cook-university |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Byrne |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Chomicki |first2=Chloe |title=Controversial Queensland scientist Peter Ridd has lost a High Court battle against JCU dismissal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-13/qld-controversial-queensland-academic-court-battle-jcu/100534402 |access-date=13 October 2021 |publisher=ABC News |date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=12 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012232620/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-13/qld-controversial-queensland-academic-court-battle-jcu/100534402 |url-status=live }}</ref> Although the Court found that some of the university's censures of Ridd were in breach of its enterprise agreement, Ridd ran his case on an "all or nothing" basis, and the High Court found that the termination of his employment was ultimately justified in relying on 18 findings of serious misconduct which were not protected by the university's academic freedom clause.<ref name= "Guardian2021" />