[AusNOG] Rudd shelves Filtering legislation

[Narelle]

It seems people haven't seen this yet...


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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/rudd-retreats-on-passing-web-filter-legislation/story-e6frgakx-1225859630452

KEVIN Rudd has put another election promise on the backburner with his
controversial internet filtering legislation set to be shelved until
after the next election.

A spokeswoman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said
yesterday the legislation would not be introduced next month's or the
June sittings of parliament.

With parliament not sitting again until the last week of August, the
laws are unlikely to be passed before the election.

Labor promised before the last election it would force internet
service providers to block access to illegal content such as child
pornography and X-rated images.

But the US government, Google and free speech advocates have said any
efforts to censor the internet would slow download speeds, stop the
free flow of information and be ineffective.

Senator Conroy's spokeswoman said the government was not deterred by
this criticism.
The government was still consulting with internet service providers
and considering public submissions; once that process was complete, it
would introduce the legislation into parliament, the spokeswoman said.

Australian Christian Lobby managing director Jim Wallace was disappointed.
"The minister has done an excellent job on this . . . and I would like
to see it legislated because it was an election promise," he said.

Opposition communications spokesman Tony Smith said Senator Conroy
should come clean on when he would release the legislation.