South Australia Outlaws Anonymous Political Speech 352
Sabriel writes "If you're online in South Australia and want to comment about the upcoming state election, be prepared to hand over your real name and postcode first — because this month it becomes illegal to do so anonymously (even under a pseudonym). Media organizations must keep your details on file for six months and face 'fines of $5000 if they do not hand over this information to the Electoral Commissioner.' This abomination was passed with the support of both major parties (Labour and Liberal), and to quote its sponsor, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, 'There is no impinging on freedom of speech, people are free to say what they wish as themselves, not as somebody else.' Apparently incapable of targeting a few impostors without resorting to 'nuke it from orbit' legislative tactics, Atkinson has forgotten that protecting anonymity is important to the democratic process; hopefully both major parties will get a reminder come the polls on March 20."
They are stopping it! (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/victory-atkinson-loosens-gag/story-e6frea6u-1225826104175
Re:They are stopping it! (Score:4, Informative)
Well, technically, from your link...
"I will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively."
So, it's in effect until after the election.
MOD PARENT UP (Score:5, Informative)
Attorney-General Michael Atkinson vows to repeal election internet censorship law amid reader furore [adelaidenow.com.au]
Slashdot's a little behind today, it seems.
Enforceability (Score:4, Informative)
John Quiggin, a long-time blogger and Research Fellow in Economics and Political Science at the University of Queensland, doubted whether the laws were enforceable. "They can pass as draconian law as they like, but without the capacity to impose their own internet censorship it's going to be a dead lemon," he said. "Anyone who wants to can set up an anonymous blog. "It will be totally ineffectual with someone who sets up a Wordpress blog post in the US under a false name and publish whatever they want."
What the fuck (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Well hitler was australian wasn't he? (Score:2, Informative)
Law to be repealed (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Obligatory Soviet Russia joke: (Score:1, Informative)
the reality is that everybody in Australia is a criminal, take your pick which laws you're breaking at any one time.
Wasn't Australia originally established as a penal colony? So really, the criminals' descendants are running around free!
Ghads!
Re:They are stopping it! (Score:5, Informative)
How can you tell when a politician is lying?
His lips are moving.
The most dangerous government in SA's history (Score:1, Informative)
I'm posting anonymously for good reason - Attorney-General Michael Atkinson is known to track down people who post comments online and intimidate them with legal threats.
The current government headed by Premier Mike Rann is the most dangerous and regressive government this state has seen since it was founded in 1836. It smells rotten.
This government has passed laws that remove the presumption of innocence, restrict freedom of association and the right to a fair trial. They have gaoled prisoners due for release indefinitely, passed laws that allow the government to declare an organisation outlawed without that organisation being able to see the evidence against it. Members of the organisation can have control orders placed upon them where they face gaol for associating with other members or visiting certain places, and they are not allowed to see the evidence against them. They have passed laws allowing them to seize your assets unless you can prove you bought them legit, to confiscate and sell your car if you're a "hoon" driver.
It doesn't stop there though: they have interfered with the judiciary and regularly bully and intimidate the media, threatening to "blackban" reporters who dare to cross them. One reporter who did cross them was forced to leave the state to work for another newspaper because they couldn't do anything after being blackbanned. Another newspaper reporter was assaulted by one of the premier's army of "media minders" when he tried to ask the premier a question and then had the police called on him. Government media minders regularly phone around to reporters demanding to know where they receive their tips and to quash stories. A small army of "media monitors" constantly listen to radio stations and monitor internet forums for negative publicity and then arrange for ministers to call in to radio stations immediately and astroturf on forums.
The Rann government blatantly spends exhorbitant amounts of public money on party political advertising under the guise of "informing the public". It is in bed with developers, has stripped injured workers of their benefits and has mismanaged every public works project it has overseen with long delays and huge cost overruns. The state continues to suffer from water restrictions after seven years since they were first introduced by this government. They continue to oppose the introduction of an independent commission against corruption despite pledging transparent and accountable governance when first running for election in 2002, and Michael Atkinson has been front and centre as Attorney-General the whole time. The man is a fool and an embarrassment to the people of this state. You can find examples of correspondence with people online.
No previous government has ever appointed non-elected people to cabinet, but Rann has. I'm just scratching the tip of the iceberg here as well...
Re:Time for outsiders to plunge in (Score:1, Informative)
Ask scientology guys :)
Re:Time for outsiders to plunge in (Score:3, Informative)
There was a Chanology raid in Sydney: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:COS_Raid_@_Sydney.jpg [wikipedia.org]
gamers4croydon; Atkinson bans computer games also (Score:3, Informative)
SA Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has been the driving force behind moves to ban certain computer games from Australia for a long time. This dude is just bad news.
There is an organisation called Gamers for Croydon, who are locked in a feud with him him and his policies.
gamers4croydon, have a political candidate who will be standing against Atkinson for the seat of Croydon (in Adelaide) next election.
If your interested in the politics of games, checkout their website at http://www.gamers4croydon.org/ [gamers4croydon.org]
They have a steam group also ;)
Re:Australian citizens, PLEASE do the right thing. (Score:3, Informative)
Ventura wasn't re-elected because he didn't want to be governor again. He didn't for re-election, so he obviously would not have won.
Re:Obligatory Soviet Russia joke: (Score:3, Informative)
You know the old joke, "I read my border entry form and didn't realise I had to be a criminal to qualify for entry to Australia!" - the reality is that everybody in Australia is a criminal, take your pick which laws you're breaking at any one time.
And yet the ironic thing is that South Australia is the only state not founded by convicts.
Re:WTF is with Australia lately? (Score:2, Informative)
Both of those instances are not actually the introduction of anything new - they are simply cases of the law being applied as written.
I don't imagine the simpsons porn issue will change - afterall, which politician would want to soften an anti-child porn law?
But the video game issue is being actively challenged, and most of the country wants to change it, and it's just a matter of time until it is changed. The only reason it hasn't already been fixed is because of the bizarre rule that any changes to the classification system have to be agreed to by the Attorneys General of every state - and the S.A. Attorney General (the Michael Atkinson from this story, coincidentally) keeps digging in his heels and coming up with more and more ridiculous reasons why the change would be bad. However, he's unlikely to remain Attorney General after S.A's approaching election, so the problem will go away.
One thing to be careful of when judging the state of things in the other country, is that negative proposals or plans like this always generate headlines. The more important story, where the plan is cancelled, or defeated almost never does.
In this particular case, Atkinson has already ditched this plan, due to the massive public outcry - but you won't see a followup story saying that. So as a result someone that only reads headlines would have a very warped idea of the truth.
Re:Feh (Score:3, Informative)
Isn't Atkinson the guy that believes videogames are satanic?
He uses Rape Lay (a game not even available in Australia) to push his efforts to get videogames banned.
Or something like that. I'm not an Aussie. :P