Internet Freedom Under Attack in Australia
Posted 2 years, 2 months ago at 21:59. 7 comments
Stop The Filter Protest
6th March 2009
Perth, Western Australia
Despite excellent organisation, tireless promotion by the Stop The Filter team, and the presence of Senator Scott Ludlam of The Australian Greens party and other minor parties, only 200 or so Australians bothered to attend a protest against what is probably the most worrying civil liberties and democratic rights erosion in Australian history. Some would argue therefore that the people of Australia deserve what is about to become of their once free and liberal democracy. What do you think?
The small crowd in attendance at the protest
Andrew Middleton, organiser and master of ceremonies
Senator Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens
For further information about the Australian Internet filter see the following websites:
Information resources:
Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA)
Wikipedia – entry about the proposed filter
NetAlert – Australian Government website
Protest specific sites:
Save The Net @ Getup!
No Clean Feed – from the EFA
Open Internet – also from the EFA
The Great Australian Internet Blackout
Once the censorship becomes reality you might see a bigger outcry
I would estimate closer to 300. I went around with a donation bucket just as the band started to play. There were a lot of people at the back on the post office steps
shielding themselves from the sun.
I don’t understand this negative focus you have on this, and am frankly disappointed in your attitude.
What I saw was 300 people, the majority of whom had never ventured out to a protest before in their life.
I salute them for coming out to voice their opposition, and we have a long way to go on this campaign.
Considering the legislation has to pass two houses yet admitting defeat is extremely premature.
Trish, Stop the Filter Perth
The problem seems to be that many people aren’t putting the pieces together. Most people still see the internet filter as protecting children and not making the association that their civil liberties are in jeopardy.
Is a picnic or a protest the answer? I don’t have the answer.. perhaps it needs higher profile people to be the voice.
It’s fantastic that people are getting out there to make a stand.. most important though, is to make the message more prominent that our freedoms are at risk.
I agree that the editorial was rather pessimistic. However, the public do not understand what is at stake just yet.
Those of us that have joined the dots, have to make them understand.
It’s interesting that Trish finds our reporting to be negative against the protest, when in fact it is berating the apathetic and ignorant Australians that failed to turnout to oppose the filter. Ultimately we are all responsible if the filter goes ahead and we all must share the blame.
All credit goes to the organisers for doing their part to get the protest happening and promoting it in a very short period (and we stated this upfront). There is no need for them to defend their actions – they did the best they could.
There are many battles in a war. Saturday’s protest was one such battle and unfortunately it would have failed to make any impression in Canberra. Granted that there would have been small wins by educating a few of the uninformed who happened to pass by, but we can hardly claim victory in this round.
Firstly a big thank you to all those who did come and support the march. This is a critical battle for our future freedom. All public voices have been silenced so it is up to us free thinkers to start a movement, gain momentum and make those who exploit us realise that this is a bridge too far with real consequences. Rock on Open Your Eyes News!
The numbers were a bit lower than we hoped but that is not surprising with Rudd’s men filming everyone from the balcony, loony fringe parties trying to blame everyone except New Labour, extremist trying to highjack our platform and a well meaning band who were a bit loud for most of the audience.
The important and real achievement was that we have started to get noticed. Some well informed and influential speakers made a simple and compelling case that this attempt at censorship has absolutely nothing to do with protecting children from the worthy cause of preventing cyber exploitation – even Save the Children are campaigning against it. Its sole purpose is to put in place the infrastructure and legal framework required to sensor all websites that Rudd does not like. There will be no list of banned sites, no reasons required for banning a site and no redress when your site has been closed down for corrupt or criminal reasons. Anyone who is not a member of the Labour party or who does not contribute to them should be very concerned if they rely on the internet.
However, the real threat is not Rudd’s short term evil intentions but the long term implications that are probably well beyond his reach of thought. The main stream media has been completely comprised with huge gifts of public money and now tows the party line. The internet is our one bright hope of keeping informed. If it can be subverted history shows us that every year we will lose more freedom.
We should ask ourselves:
Why should Australia have the most extreme censorship on the planet?
Why should this be unique in Australian law in having no right of appeal or redress?
Why should this all be kept secret?
Hitler burned books and invented modern propaganda. Rudd wants to burn internet sites and control our information. Hands up anyone who thinks that Conroy will give any of the $43bn NBN money to any ISPs that don’t kneel before them.
There are a number of alternatives to imposing these filters, which will fail to stop anything.
One way is to pressure the banks and such into closing financial transaction facilities for any entity on the “bad” list.
Another is mandatory education at ISP level with a permit, similar to a driver’s license, being issued once a potential user passes an awareness exam.
No permit, no internet access.