[LINK] A letter to the member

[David Boxall]

Below is a first, rough draft of a letter intended for my (Labor) MHR. 
I've done my best to keep the message as simple as possible. 
Constructive criticism would be welcome.

> Under the NetAlert program, the Howard government provided free 
> Internet filtering software. As far as I can tell, the Rudd government 
> stopped that provision at the end of 2008. Technical support ceased on 
> 30 June 2010.
>
>
> Media reports indicate that, in the first six months of the program's 
> operation, approximately 150,000 copies of free filtering software 
> were downloaded. If minister Conroy is to be believed, the children of 
> families that relied on the software are now exposed to predatory 
> paedophiles.
>
>
> Your government's non-functioning, and by credible reports 
> impractical, alternative is mandatory filtering at the ISP level. 
> Would a government that is genuinely concerned for the welfare of 
> children discontinue a program, the stated aim of which is to protect 
> children, in the absence of a functioning alternative government 
> initiative?
>
>
> A child's best protection is a diligent parent. No filter is perfect. 
> The presence of an unreliable filter will tend to lull parents into a 
> false sense of security, leading to a reduction in that essential 
> diligence. A reduction in parental diligence will increase the number 
> potential targets for predators.
>
>
> Filtering will not prevent child abuse. Traditional policing that 
> catches abusers, and those who support abusers by purchasing child 
> pornography, stands a better chance of making a difference. Resources 
> dedicated to futile attempts at mass filtering of the Internet will 
> not be available for more effective policing.
>
>
> The filter will thus tend to increase the number of potential targets 
> for paedophiles while reducing, or at best failing to maximise, the 
> probability that they'll be caught.
>
>
> In brief, this government has:
>
>    *
>
>       removed protection from children;
>
>    *
>
>       proposed measures that potentially increase the exposure of
>       children to harm and
>
>    *
>
>       diverted resources from measures that could apprehend those who
>       would harm children.
>
>
> How could this situation have arisen unless there are people within 
> the parliamentary Labor party who are involved in harming children? 
> Whoever they are, bringing them to justice is the responsibility of 
> those closer to the action (specifically, yourself).
>
>
> As it stands, Labor will be last on my ballot at the next election. 
> Evidence of your involvement in efforts to purge the party of its 
> unsavoury elements might lead me to reconsider.
>
>
> The text of this letter will be posted to my website: 
> http://david.boxall.id.au/, as will that of your response. The absence 
> of a response will naturally speak loudly, itself.
>

-- 
David Boxall                    |  All that is required
                                |  for evil to prevail is
http://david.boxall.id.au       |  for good men to do nothing.
                                |     -- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)