Libs shoot down filtering plan: ‘Misguided and deeply unpopular’
November 25, 2008 – 7:45 pmThe Greens announced their opposition to filtering (or close to it) this morning and now the Liberals Shadow Comms Minister Nick Minchin has issued a press release labeling the Government’s plan as misguided and deeply unpopular. It reads:
Senator Minchin said nobody of decency disagreed about the importance of working to ensure the online world is safe.
“The Opposition firmly believes that adult supervision, supported by optional user-end filters, effective law enforcement and education should be front and centre of any efforts to keep children safe online,” he said.
“In relation to criminal conduct online, our nation’s law enforcement bodies must be adequately resourced to monitor and investigate unlawful activity.
“There is no technical substitute for appropriate adult supervision when it comes to keeping our children safe online and most parents and teachers take that responsibility very seriously and any suggestions to the contrary are patronising and offensive,” Senator Minchin said.
Minchin also asks what will happen if adequate numbers of Internet users cannot be roped into the live pilot on a voluntary basis. Will the trial become mandatory or will it be implemented without proper testing? He calls on the Gov to re-think its plan to stop providing Australians with free pc-based filters at the end of 2008.
It’s good news, but don’t get excited just yet. No party position is set in stone and Labor continues to push the plan hard. The result could still swing either way and if the IIA were to cooperate with the Government, filtering may be introduced without legislative changes according to former EFA Chair Dale Clapperton.
We’ve got a hell of a lot of work left to do in order to stop net censorship being forced upon Australians and our opposition must only get stronger. Explain the plan to friends who don’t know, write your MP, outline your concerns, and show your support if they are from the Greens or Liberal party. Keep up the hard work — It’s paying off.
8 Responses to “Libs shoot down filtering plan: ‘Misguided and deeply unpopular’”
This is indeed good news. I’ve been waiting eagerly to hear about the Libs position on this. It certainly provides another very useful point to make about where your vote might go in the next election when writing to your MPs.
By Simon on Nov 25, 2008
Wow, this is amazing news
By Stephen on Nov 25, 2008
GetUp! better get their act together or they are just going to look silly.
jon.
By Jon Seymour on Nov 25, 2008
Thank god. Let’s step it up people.
By TheLateJC on Nov 25, 2008
We need to make the ALP understand that until they completely and thoroughly repudiate this plan, the will not win back control of the Senate.
Let this campaign begin now.
By Jon Seymour on Nov 26, 2008
“There is no technical substitute for appropriate adult supervision…”
Good call. What would you trust to keep your kids safe in the pool - watching them, teaching them to swim, or a government-mandated surveillance system which detects drowning and empties all the water?
By Tim Bennett on Nov 26, 2008
People have said that Work Choices cost the Liberal Party last year’s election.
I believe that if the mandatory filter goes through, it will cost the Labor Party the next election.
By Joyce on Nov 26, 2008
Good news indeed, although I agree with Mike’s caution it’s way too early to get back to real life.
Minchin’s press release concludes with an appeal to the Government to: “re-think its plan to stop providing Australians with free pc-based Internet content filters at the end of 2008.”
I may have missed discussion about this eslewhere, but that’s the first time I’ve heard this said. If true, it strikes me as remarkable, amazing, reprenensible, bizarre…. words fail, really. If the Government is SO bothered about the safety of kids, why stop this service now - before anything else is fully in place?
I strongly agree with Jon Seymour’s suggestion: “We need to make the ALP understand that until they completely and thoroughly repudiate this plan, the will not win back control of the Senate. Let this campaign begin now.”
It’s a great idea - because it’s an extremely credible threat. Rudd and the ALP pundits may imagine that come the next election day, this issue will be drowned out by others. ALP voters are unlikely to switch allegiance and vote against the ALP GOvernment over one issue alone, if they fear a Coalition Government.
But we could, if necessary, punish the ALP in the Senate. There’s a long time to organize that campaign… lots of people to do it. The argument is clean and simple: “Vote against the ALP in the Senate. Don’t trust Labor with control of the Senate. It’s likely to use it to trash our civil liberties.”
I hope Rudd’s staffers read this blog.
By Syd Walker on Nov 28, 2008