Our universities have lost the will to uphold freedom of scientific inquiry. John Farnham must be wondering “what about the age of reason?”

Universities must stop capitulating to people who threaten violence as a way of shutting down debate.

Last night’s sudden cancelling of a venue for a talk on the medical harms of re-assigning children’s gender at the University of Western Australia is part of a disturbing trend.

Whenever a venue cancels because of threats of violence, thuggish behaviour is rewarded and free speech and scientific debate are the losers.

I had the privilege of launching Pat Byrne’s new book Transgender: one shade of grey and of hearing eminent American endocrinologist Dr Quentin van Meter at Brisbane’s Tattersall’s Club last Thursday night.

Both Mr Byrne and Dr van Meter gave very compassionate and respectful talks which raised serious questions about the ethics of teaching children their gender is fluid.

I was shocked that last night’s talk at UWA was cancelled.

Media reports that the organisers did not have their paperwork completed for the UWA venue hire are wrong.

Pat Byrne advised me today that paperwork and security information was lodged one hour before yesterday’s 8:30am deadline. Why can’t the ABC pick up the phone to Pat? I did.

It appears the university may have been just looking for a convenient excuse to shut down debate on campus.

Anyone who missed Dr van Meter’s talk can watch it on sex therapist Bettina Arndt’s You Tube channel.

Arndt says of transgenderism: “I think it is really shocking that the medical profession has been bullied into allowing this dangerous practice when research clearly shows that when left alone most children grow out of that confusion.”

It is deeply concerning that my friend Toowoomba doctor David van Gend remains under investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Authority for re-tweeting tweets that question the ethics of teaching children their gender is fluid.

They are gunning for his professional reputation.

If elected to the Senate at next year’s election, my Conservative Party colleagues and I will fight for the scientific truth about gender to be restored to school and higher education curricula.