[LINK] ALP Net censorship policy hidden, but alive and far-reaching

[David Goldstein]

Robin,

The ALP is most definitely not a progressive party. It's a conservative party 
that grew out of a catholic, trade union background. It's just more progressive 
that the Liberal Party, which isn't hard, as even Menzies wouldn't recognise the 
party he created and is probably turning in his grave at what it's become.

As for the internet filter, where is there something that says it will include 
R-rated content? Everything I've seen refers to RC content. The latest is at 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/17/2985789.htm.

Of course, you can vote for whoever you like Robin, but voting for the Coalition 
also supports a broadband network that is adequate for today, but most 
definitely not for tomorrow.

David



----- Original Message ----
> From: Robin Whittle <rw at firstpr.com.au>
> To: Link mailing list <link at anu.edu.au>
> Cc: Craig Sanders <cas at taz.net.au>
> Sent: Tue, 17 August, 2010 4:17:34 PM
> Subject: Re: [LINK] ALP Net censorship policy hidden, but alive and 
>far-reaching
> 
> The ALP site enables comments on some pages. I was able to add a
> comment underneath the PM's speech/blog:
> 
>http://alp.org.au/blogs/alp-blog/july-2010/together,-let-s-move-australia-forward/
>/
> 
> What I wrote was broken into nice paragraphs, but linebreaks are
> filtered by the site.  There's apparently no moderation, since the
> text went straight onto the site in a few seconds.
> 
> = = = = = =
> 
> There are 39 policies listed at this site, but the most significant
> and unpopular is not mentioned - Internet censorship.
> 
> Benjamin Franklin's 1755 statement: "Those who would give up
> essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve
> neither Liberty nor Safety." is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.
> 
> The ALP Internet censorship policy is such a serious threat to our
> democratic freedoms that there's no way I can vote Labor.
> 
> I have never voted other than Labor, but I will be voting for the
> Coalition and the Greens ahead of Labor on Saturday.  Mandatory
> filtering by ISPs of all websites (not yet email, instant messenger?)
> which contain material which is "R rated" or beyond goes far beyond
> banning child pornography, which is already illegal.
> 
> The intention is to prohibit Australian adults from communicating
> regarding material which is "wrong" [1] [2], or which "instructs in
> matters of crime" and the like.
> 
> Voting for the ALP is voting for Internet censorship to the point of
> attempting to make all Internet communications (web at least) safe
> for children [3].  This is impossible, of course, and any attempt to
> do so would destroy the freedom of communications which adults in a
> democracy must have.  It is wrong to be complacent about this,
> thinking the Greens and Coalition will block it in the Senate, or
> because this sort of policy is unconstitutional in the USA, where
> their First Amendment has meant the mid-1990s US government attempts
> at Internet censorship were quickly found to be unconstitutional.
> 
> The ALP has betrayed its progressive roots with this Internet
> censorship policy.  This is the sort of policy we expect from Family
> First, the DLP or the right wing of the Liberal party.  This is the
> ALP's new Stalinism:  "The government knows better than we do what we
> should communicate about.  The government knows that spending $43B of
> our taxes in an attempt to make the NBN is better for us than than
> spending less on broadband and more on preventive health and
> education."
> 
> The Coalition rejects mandatory ISP filtering because it is wrong in
> principle and practice.  Internet censorship is like banning or
> burning books.  It must be rejected, and that means rejecting the
> ALP.  More details and links:
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/2010-August/089091.html
> 
>   - Robin Whittle, Melbourne.
> 
> P.S.  Full marks to the ALP allowing these comments on at least
>       some pages of this site, but if all the above appears as one
>       paragraph, then my line breaks have been filtered out!
> 
> [1]
>http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/optional-internet-filters-unite-coalition-greens-20100816-126yi.html
>l
> 
> 
> [2]
> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>