[AusNOG] Conroy announcement on filtering

[Mark Newton]

On 04/01/2010, at 5:14 PM, Matthew Moyle-Croft wrote:

> The labor party made a promise  - they don't want to back down on it, so they're going ahead with something stupid.

Here's the 2006 policy document:
http://web.archive.org/web/20060422120043/http://www.alp.org.au/media/0306/msloo210.php
"Through an opt-out system, adults who still want to view currently legal
content would advise their ISP that they want to opt out of the "clean feed",
and would then face the same regulations which currently apply."

That policy was approved by the ALP as part of their platform, and
still in place when the 2007 election rolled around.

The "Labor's Plan for Cyber Safety" fact sheet released 5 days before
the election was based on this document.

The 2007 document contains substantially the same wording as the 2006
policy. After the 2007 election, Conroy confirmed the promised optionality
of the scheme in his announcement in December 2007:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/31/2129471.htm
"Senator Conroy says anyone wanting uncensored access to the
internet will have to opt out of the service."

It's clear that the pre-election information provided to Australians, confirmed
by the Minister's own post-election words, stipulated that the ALP would
"... require IPSs to offer a `clean feed' internet service to all homes, schools
and public internet points accessible by children, such as public libraries."
(http://www.alp.org.au/download/labors_plan_for_cyber_safety.pdf page
5)
Both the 2006 document and the 2007 document specified
that the scheme would concern itself with "... content that has been
identified as prohibited by the Australian Communications and Media
Authority." 

So the "promise" was an optional system which would inhibit the 
ACMA Prohibited Content list for children.

Instead we have a mandatory system which inhibits RC for adults.

On every conceivable level, the current proposal represents a 
breach of an election promise, not its delivery.

> Stupidity before Dishonor is the politicians creed.

This is stupidity and dishonor.

Check out the comments at Kate Lundy's blog -- I'm not alone in 
my interpretation of the pre-election materials or the identification
of this policy as a breach of an election promise.  A very large number
of people who identify themselves as either ALP members or long-
term ALP voters have been voicing their sense of betrayal over 
there:
http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/12/17/my-thoughts-on-the-filter/
http://www.katelundy.com.au/2009/12/21/further-thoughts-on-the-filter/

The second post indicates to me that Lundy herself understands
the difference between the election promise and the current policy
proposal.  She's moving in the right direction; Any voters in her ACT
electorate who feel like having their voice heard ought to get in touch
with her.

  - mark

--
Mark Newton                               Email:  newton at internode.com.au (W)
Network Engineer                          Email:  newton at atdot.dotat.org  (H)
Internode Pty Ltd                         Desk:   +61-8-82282999
"Network Man" - Anagram of "Mark Newton"  Mobile: +61-416-202-223





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