Is Conroy’s filter cooked and ready to be served?
September 2, 2009 – 10:20 pmSenator Nick Minchin has been quiet lately, but today he made up for it when he blindsided Senator Conroy in the media, demanding he end his mandatory filtering farce. It wasn’t exactly the most daring exchange of words, but it’s the response he managed to yank out of the Minister for Communications that really sheds light on how little this policy and the rhetoric surrounding it has progressed, and how deep the hole has been dug.
“Nick Minchin and the Liberal Party should explain why they don’t support using the latest technology to restrict access to child abuse content and other Refused Classification material,” Senator Conroy said this morning. – SMH
It’s been nearly a whole two years since Senator Conroy took office and those who criticise the government’s plan to censor the Internet are still met with the accusation that they carelessly support child abuse. The same sort of thing we heard all the way back in December 2007. I’m certain organisations like Save the Children, who the Minister knows are vocally against the plan, would appreciate it if he didn’t make such offensive remarks. I know I would.
Accusations like these, this far into the campaign, could mean Conroy is desperately pulling at strings, but I have my doubts. He’s been crucified by the media for similar comments in the past and he isn’t a stupid man (at least not when it comes to politics).
Conroy could be preparing to back away, declaring the ISP filtering trial a failure and leaving voters with the impression he was the one who tried to protect their kids.
However, his arrogance may also suggest that mandatory filtering is so set in stone, a hard line approach is the only option. Be it to force hand in Canberra or to reap the rewards of delivering promised-policy, whatever they may be.
8 Responses to “Is Conroy’s filter cooked and ready to be served?”
” … he isn’t a stupid man (at least not when it comes to politics).” – what are you basing this on?
I used to think that the government promised this to the fundies in exchange for votes, but the more it drags on and on the less likely it appears that it is a political chip and the more that it is true idiot ideology held tightly to their breasts. I think they really do believe their own baloney.
By Stuart on Sep 3, 2009
Seconded.
By Jack Tar on Sep 3, 2009
…,
go onto australian youtube and look who is in spotlight channel.
By alphamone on Sep 3, 2009
” … he isn’t a stupid man (at least not when it comes to politics).”
Then what other explanation is there for comments like that. He’s certainly ended any political career he had, people don’t like being falsely accused, so he has lost a lot of votes.
By Steve on Sep 3, 2009
Conroy is a true cultural warrior. All else aside, he truly believes he needs to protect people from themselves.
By james on Sep 3, 2009
I agree with James above. Conroy really does believe we need to be protected from ourselves by way of the mandatory filter. I’ve been convinced for a while now that Conroy will have his filter and bugger what the rest of the country thinks, because we commoners just can’t be trusted with something as explosive as the internet. The secrecy surrounding the whole scheme, the delayed trial results, the lack of criteria by which to judge if the trials have been a success or not, the endless recycling of the same line about supporting child abuse if you’re against the filter – it’s exactly the approach taken by hardline governments everywhere. Sorry to sound extreme, but it’s called brainwashing. Conroy yet again using the tired old child abuse argument reminds me of the Vietnamese Communist Party insisting it is democratically returned with a 98% majority everytime there’s an election there. No one believes it, but when the claim is repeated often enough, and no one can scrutinize or defy the results, there’s just no other truth left.
By Daniel on Sep 3, 2009
“I used to think that the government promised this to the fundies”
Just one fundie. Name of “Rudd.”
By Toejam on Sep 4, 2009
“The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools” — Herbert Spencer
We are seeing this come to light now. There are people who are too stupid to realise that they aren’t doing their kids favours by feeding them crap every other day. Honestly, they should do more than keep out of the cultural side of society, but the economic one which allows jackasses like these to have kids in the first place
By Steve on Sep 7, 2009