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At Large
If It Can Happen Down Under
The Australian government steps up its war against a free press — and the Internet.
(Page 2 of 2)
I said at the beginning that this was contrary to Australian traditions of freedom of expression.
In fact, in the last couple of years there have been ominous foreshadowings of press control.
Broadcaster Alan Jones was hauled before the Australian Communications and Media Authority because after one incident he described New South Wales bureaucrats as “scumbags that run around preying on productive people.” In response to a complaint from Get Up, one of those murky foundations associated with George Soros. the “Authority” is holding a formal investigation into whether Jones interviews too many climate-change skeptics. In another particularly disgraceful episode, commentator Andrew Bolt was hauled before the court for questioning the Aboriginality of some light-skinned Aboriginal spokespeople.
Keith Windschuttle, editor of the conservative magazine Quadrant, has written defiantly:
If this oppressive scheme is ever implemented, we would feel compelled to defend the long tradition of press freedom by engaging in civil disobedience. While ever I am editor, Quadrant would not recognize the News Media Council’s authority, we would not observe its restrictions, and we would not obey its instructions, whatever the price. We hope other publishers will take a similar stand.
Poet A. D. Hope once wrote of Australia:
The men are independent but you would not call them free…
It seems that that may be about to be tested.
About the Author
Hal G.P. Colebatch’s “Immram,” Counterstrike, is being published by Australian publisher Imaginites.
Darin| 4.10.12 @ 7:39AM
Liberals will likely applaud this - until it is used to silence them. Any law that can be used against your opponent can (and will) be used against you.
Tom Osterman| 4.10.12 @ 10:16AM
Not if they can put themselves in power permanently. It's worth bearing in mind that people who advocate dictatorships intend to become the dictators.
KennesawJack| 4.10.12 @ 11:18AM
How many dictators do you know who died in their sleep?
Tom Osterman| 4.10.12 @ 12:03PM
Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Franco, Lenin, to name a few. Fidel Castro looks to be on course. Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. Juan Peron. The list is appallingly long.
R & E| 4.10.12 @ 12:26PM
Ah, but don't they have to die in their sleep while still actively in power?
They cannot simply retire from public life at say 68 or 72 and simply go off to write books, opine, garden, do charities, and play with grandkids, now can they?
See the Fidels can sleep, I suppose, because Raul is there. Same with those North Koreans you cite.
Sure, some get to die naturally. Erich Honecker comes to mind. But this is only because the West German leadership thought it best to not try the East, not have trials, not go through that upheaval, and not mete out any punishments to SED leadership. Still I cannot think that the Honeckers and Lenins and Maos have peaceful final days.
Aren't we seeing the pain of a dictator's life being played out in the recent Easter Week pleadings of Venezuela's Chavez?
I agree with Darin's post above. If leftists are too short-sighted to not see what they affect with media controls, well, life & death will inform them -- usually painfully.
Occam's Tool| 4.10.12 @ 2:25PM
My favorite is the Roman Emperor who retired, and who turned down requests to come back---Cincinnatus was not an Emperor--Stuart, who was this? He rationalized the Eastern and Western Empire coverages, with Senior and Junior Emperors.
charles794| 4.11.12 @ 2:16AM
Diocletian.
Melvin| 4.10.12 @ 9:00AM
Well, Australians should shove Mr. Finkelstein's report so far up his nether region, that he would be able to read it backwards.
Who in God's freedom loving name would create such an intellectual abomination as Finkelstein. and those like thinkers? And to come out of Australia of all places. This is what is so shocking.
I thought Australia would be that last place to go down fighting in protection of the freedom to express one's thoughts and opinions in what ever media he or she choses.
I am beginning to think that there are certain evil human beings that are such a danger and menace to mankind, that they should be cast from society, and in certain cases....... the living.
Frank| 4.10.12 @ 11:39PM
Long live America. Without it's robust first amendment as a beacon for us poor Australians who dimly perceive its glow, we would all be further down the road to Tyranny.
Lee-anne | 4.10.12 @ 11:54PM
Hello Melvin,
I'm a proud Aissie, living in Perth, Western Australia. You wanted to know who in God's living name would create such an intellectual abomination as Finkelstein? Well the Australian Labor Party along with the Australian Greens and a couple of stupid independents, who hold the balance of power in The House of Representives, created him. They told him, what they wanted and they got it. We here in Australia, we are very scared and frightened, as to what is happening. Not only are we about to loose our freedom of speech but we are about to be taxed to hell and back, just for breathing air! This illegal government promised not to implement a carbon tax, 6 days before the 2010 general election. The ALP did not win the election outright and had to go into a minority government with the Greens and a couple of idiotic idiots! Before we knew it, we are getting a carbon tax and our freedom of speech is about to be taken away from us.
It is getting to a point here in Australia, that people are ready to rise up on mass (and I know tht we have our armed forces behind us) and we will take this illegal government on. Syria and Libiya will look a kids playground, by the time we have finished with this government! The armed forces hate this government as much as the general public do. I have already been told by a serving member, that seeing that they are they only citizens of Australia, that are legally armed and if the government, does not follow due process and call general election within the next 18 months, then all bets are off!! There will be hell to pay!! So keep an eye on the political situation here in Australia because a version of it, could be coming to a shop corner near you!
Take care and God bless.
Lee-anne from Perth, Western Australia
rem| 4.11.12 @ 2:10AM
Ma'am, thank you for posting.
This is very saddening. Very, very troubling. Aside from Canadians, Brits, Scots, Irish and maybe the Dutch, well, we consider Aussies to be just about the only real sane people on the entire globe. We admire the down-under culture, the twangy lingo and accent, and the easygoing, friendly ways.
Truth be told, many Americans who fear what is going on in Canada and fear what is going on in these 50 states, many of them have been secretly finding maps of your continent, learning the geography, evaluating the climate there, i.e. many Americans have thought of Australia as the final frontier of a peace-loving, freedom loving humankind. The idea: When New York State and California go under, head to Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, or Adelaide.
So we view free speech theft and the criminality of free speech where you are to be an abomination.
We've already seen this time and again in Canada.
Please keep us posted Lee-anne. Come back to this site and let us know. And let us know of good news web sites that have not yet cratered to the despots. Stay safe.
Mal| 4.11.12 @ 3:34AM
Let me get this straight, Lee-anne. You know someone in the armed forces in Australia who is willing to overthrow the government if it doesn't follow what this patriot thinks is due process? Not only are you traitorous, you are insane. The Australian government has done nothing illegally. If you don't like it then vote in the next election and hope that it gets defeated. But advocating armed insurrection against a democratically elected government, no matter how unpopular, is beyond the pale.
Lee-anne | 4.11.12 @ 11:12AM
To Rem. Thankyou for your kind thoughts. I'll come back to this site and let you know what is happening here. The country is in utter shambles. In 2007, our conservative coalition government was voted out of office. In the 13 odd years that they were in government, they paid back the $90 billion odd debt, that was racked up by the then previous ALP government. They also left government with no nett debt and $20 billion in the bank. In four years of this new ALP communist government, they have spent the $20 billion and now have us in $200 billion of debt.
They are going to tax the hell out of us, via a carbon tax, that they promised that they would not introduce. They needed the numbers to form government and so did a deal with the Australian Greens and two stupid independents. Obviously, part of the deal was to introduce a carbon tax at $23 per ton. We are suppossed to be compensated for this, with a couple of hundred dollers each! That will go far, to pay the electricity bill!!
To Mal. Yes, Insane is a good word to use. Most of the population is going insane, with what this government is doing to us. Traitorous!! The only people who are traitors to Australia, is this current government!! They are doing their damn hardest to bankrupt the country, they are trying to tax the hell out of our mining industry, the only industry that kept us insulated from the global financial crisis, they are spending $50 billion on a National Broadband Network, that the government will own and control and noone wants. They then intend to put a filter on the network so that they can control the information that people can read.
They are dumming down our children in schools, with their left wing rubbish and we have no border and customs control, what so ever! I could go on but they are an illegal government. They were not democratically elected. They did not win enough seats. The so called Prime Minister, Miss Jiliar Gillard, stabbed the former Prime Minister in the back, to take the top job. No one has ever elected her and no one bloody well wants her. She holds this country to ransom with one vote and is holding it with an extreme left wing party, The Greens, whose parlimentary members are known Marxists and Communists. It would take to long to go into the legalities of their rule but as I said, I have been told by one member of the armed forces, that they would be prepared to take this government on, if they do not follow due process and call an election within 18 months. I would not put it past this government, to try and suspend our constitution, (and therefore the democratic process), to try and prevent an election. They know that they will be thrown out on their collective backsides and are trying to do as much damage as possible before then, to leave the conservative government to clean up the mess. It will take years.
Aussies are leaving Australia, to live in Asia for the time being, until we can get rid of the ALP, be it through the ballot box or by other means!
Take care and God bless
Lee-anne from Perth, Western Australia
Richard| 4.12.12 @ 1:35PM
"Aussies are leaving Australia, to live in Asia for the time being, until we can get rid of the ALP"
wow - I thought I was the only one.
I found the situation too stressful at home in Australia so left for Asia.
Denis McCarthy| 4.11.12 @ 5:07PM
May I, as a New Zealander, add my ten cents worth. The current Australian government may have been democratically elected but it was elected on a defined mandate. Immediately on taking office it broke a key election promise ("There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead") and brought in a carbon tax.
So it lied, betrayed the citizens and has shown it can't be trusted.
That being said armed insurrection is not the answer. Australians can still undo what has been done at their next Federal election. It's their country so they have the option of doing what the Queensland voters have just done in their State election - given the State Labour government their biggest defeat in living memory.
As an aside: we have a flawed democracy in New Zealand. A government gets into power, stitches up special deals to consolidate its position and imposes unwanted and unmandated legislation on the citizens. We have no Upper House to review or delay this sort of thing. What we need in our country is Swiss style Direct Democracy to give citizens some continuing and effective power.
Lee-anne | 4.11.12 @ 5:55PM
Armed Insurrection! You betcha!! It is getting that bad here, that we, normally layed back, couldn't really give a rats, would rather head down the beach.....are openly talking about this very thing! Who would have thought! We don't know if we can last to the next election (if one is ever called!) But don't worry, if one is called, we have the old cricket bats ready and waiting. Failing that......Australia will not be a pretty place and hopefully Ms (two-faced) Gillard will be made to pay.
As for New Zealand's current government, it sounds like that they have pulled a number on you Kiwis, just like this lot over here have done to us! We are also talking about have a Swiss style Direct Democracy as well, It may be the only way, to keep some of our freedoms.
These poor yanks on this page, reading all of this! It has been overtaken by a lot of crazy Aussies, who have gone completely insane! Sorry
Take care and God bless
Lee-anne from Perth, Western Australia
Cynthia Lauren| 4.16.12 @ 9:56PM
Lucidly said, Lee-anne.
You most likely 'know' that Julia was the former secretary of the Fabian Socialists and that dear bombastic (read: spoilt child) Kevin - wasn't demoted by her - as that was an 'act' - he was in fact, PROMOTED to the 'real power base' of the UN (read, un-american, un-australian, UN - EVERYTHING.)
What we 'see' (while I don't do TV with the exceptions of watching that lame 'Mr. Pickle? was it? - 'debate' the 'scientist' and tell us all that Adam and Eve is just a 'bed time story'..? It was on Q & A and my farmer husband just HAD TO watch the barbie on the tellie - while I washed the dishes up after tea last week) Yet - I won't digress:
What all peoples are 'viewing' is intended for our consumption - indoctrination. And, our children - within the socialist school system are getting stronger in it every day.
One may 'see' any of them either going 'one way' or the 'other': 1. swallowing the party-line, hook line and sinker - or - 2. getting terribly drunk and high on whatever substances they can get their little hands on.
It's up to US - Lee-anne, to make our heart-felt stands - not in insurrection - but, by standing and getting these 'corrupts' offa the 'world stage'. (Tony Abbot would be the FIRST that I'd usher out the door, along with his 'sidekick' - Julia.)
Thorpie -
finally goin' for a walk down the beach...to pray.
Dave| 4.11.12 @ 2:17AM
Well said. It also needs to be said this so called ex judge Finkelstein is a failed ALP candidate. ALP is the Orwellien left wing mob destroying our country presently cheers David Sydney Australia
Mal| 4.11.12 @ 4:05AM
Poor old Orwell must be rolling in his grave every time his name is muttered in this hyperbolic way. I suppose now every time I find out the a Judge may have been a conservative candidate that there is some giant right wing conspiracy afoot?
Dave| 4.11.12 @ 10:16PM
Mal your sarcasm is meaningless your ignorance is typical PS stop telling people what to do
Look at the QLD election to see what Australian's think of Orwellian ALP attacking voters as "deniers" and bringing on cowardly censure of free speech as "thought crime". ALP will face its worst fear in room 101 at the next federal election and that is accountability to the public, your sarcasm is meaningless the facts are this country has been left naked as the ALP has attacked all our economic strengths and driven jobs/investment overseas in the name of building casteles in the sky. Albanese Leader of the House for the ALP burst into tears publically giving them up as completely dysfunctional and now they try to shoot the messenger, whne China goes down we go with it because Orwellian ALP has destroyed the economy, the ALP are a "boot standing on a human face" Orwell
Mal| 4.11.12 @ 4:09AM
I would argue that Melvin's spray here is really beyond the pale. Does the American Spectator condone commentators calling for someone's exile or death because of a difference of opinion? Because this is precisely what Melvin is advocating in his last paragraph.
James| 4.11.12 @ 5:50PM
Melvin, as a long suffering Aussie I can tell you that we are fed-up to the back teeth with the illegitimate alliance of leftiod parties which was stitched together to as a minority government after failing to obtain a majority in the House at the last election.
The backlash has already started in the various states, and will be completed at the next federal election, due in 2013. The result for the current "government" is going to be a thrashing the likes of which is rarely ever seen in this country.
Finkelstein's grotesque report will then be buried forever, along with all the other rabid anti-human "green/left" policies which this disgraceful have forced upon us.
Cynthia Lauren Thorpe| 4.16.12 @ 9:43PM
Well said, James.
I may have 'misstated' as we've not ever met, so there 'may' be some 'blokey blokes' out here, YET, praise GOD.
And - should you want to REALLY know what is at the 'root cause' of this insidious plot which threatens not ONLY Australia - but, the rest of the 'free world' as well... (That is - if you have the stomach for it, for it has captured men such as Bob Brown and those of his ilk, therefore - it is truly heinous) - I then suggest that you 'armor up' first and then go down to the local 'pervert' store and obtain a copy of 'The Green Door'...just make certain you've got a bucket to 'chuck into' when you cruise through it - for it is noxious, indeed.
You'll then 'see' just what lays 'behind' that vile Green Door - and if you have the 'eyes to see' - you'll know that what you are seeing is from the bowels of Hell, itself.
It's NOT 'a stretch' to see what we've been indoctrinated with for several hundred years now - this Freudian/Marxist toxic cocktail is meant for one purpose alone.
Cryptically Yours - as I don't want to go any further in exposing 'The Green Door' for what it truly is - for I am a BLOOD BOUGHT child of the MOST HIGH GOD - and I've got my ethics firmly in tact.
Thorpie in Kingston SE
Christian American who loves Australia & America
Cynthia Lauren Thorpe| 4.16.12 @ 9:28PM
Well said, my Brother Melvin. And, just a thought: 'Keep that powder of yours dry.' (warm smiles)
I came out here to the Coastal Outback - sat in my mulberry tree - and contemplated (while picking, as I've become adroit in doing two things simultaneously) why on EARTH I left my good ol' USA and was living 'the Life' down-under, for - I thought that AT LEAST AUSTRALIA with her larikin' backbone - would be the very LAST place I'd find a 'de-sexed' male population...
I was WRONG - sadly mistaken - Melvin.
I've YET to find an Aussie Bloke with America's Spirit within him - stand next to me and speak up with love and truth at his side.
Methinks 'The Australian Male' with his 'pull himself up by his bootstraps' kinda mentality - is something perhaps...sadly gone the way of the Bullockies.
Yet, as a Christian - I must both remain 'ever hopeful' (with my mulberry stained hands in the Spring) and scan the horizon for True Men - while I suggest (only SUGGEST to you) that you look at the Scriptures for when Jesus was presented to the people - they chose to 'free' the wrong 'Jesus' - my friend.
The people 'chose' Jesus Barabbas to let Pilot 'free' rather than Jesus The Christ, of Nazareth.
(I'm going somewhere, Melvin - so, please keep your really fun 'ADD tendencies' - at bay - for the moment...please.) For you see - my Brother, they 'chose' the insurrectionist - they 'chose' the murderer - rather than to choose 'the Prince of Peace' Who operated as the obedient Son - rather than the disobedient one.
Methinks we've all needed to 'see this', as our human nature tends to go to 'the aggressive' when we see injustice. (And, I've not EVER seen or heard any 'man of GOD' talk about this issue - so, I believe I got it from direct Devine Revelation, dear) 'Cause MEN are indeed wondrous individuals - yet, they only 'fall short' when in their zeal - they 'don't see the forest for all the trees' - by bowing their noble knees to ONE Alone.
Keep bein' your larikin self, Melvin - and know that I'm praying for you daily as I tend my Cross-bred (I ask - Are there any other kind?) sheep out here in the Southeast.
Thorpie
Bobloblaw| 4.10.12 @ 9:25AM
""Australia is a nation where freedom of speech has appeared as solidly established as anywhere in the world. Today, however, it is under a massive threat.""
Correction: Replace the Australia with the USA and the story is still relevant. SOPA PIPA. The USA is well on is way to being a third world socialist tyranny.
Bob K.| 4.10.12 @ 10:54AM
It's happened in England and also in Canada. Why should Australia be immune?
The sun set on the Empire long ago.
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 7:36PM
With all due respect, I strenuously dislike your tone and comment.
The issue isn't whether any country is immune to those desiring totalitarianism (as the ALP/Green coalition does). The issue is whether those that respect and admire republican institutions will defend those institutions against tyranny. Your defeatist attitude is perfectly acceptable to those who go along to get along. But patriots who agree with Jefferson (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants) will and must be free to express extreme discontent with tyrannical governments even to the point of discussing revolution when necessary.
To continue your metaphor, just because the sun sets in one place by no means requires it to set in others. This only happens when people desire security more than liberty, and mortgage their freedom with apathy (which you clearly seem to possess), ignorance, and/or fear.
Shane| 4.10.12 @ 10:57AM
If Obama is reelected it will happen here too.
Sadly,I fear we are going with a very weak candidate who will not beat him.
Melvin | 4.10.12 @ 11:26AM
More in likely through design. It is hard to grasp that a political organization such as the Republican Party can be so illiterate to continually nominate Progressives.
But alas we don't have a choice and will have to vote for the lesser of the two evils.
If Romney is elected President, we all will arrive at the same destination that the 1st Bush started with his New World Order.
Petronius| 4.10.12 @ 12:54PM
What scares me is that those who control the Main Stream Media are buying up outlets carrying Conservative content so only one side is seen and heard. And all with the blessing of the FCC. They will divide the ownership and censor all political content along with pushing the same hourly BS they call news. We're all headed for the Ministry of Love.
Dave| 4.11.12 @ 10:55PM
The left media newspapers in Australia are going broke. For example the Fairfax Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) and The Age nobody buys it anymore because of its constant boring left wing bias. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy Murdoch papers but the facts are many more people buy the Telegraph (Murdoch) than the Fairfax SMH because they choose to.
That is what is making the lefty ALP so angry. The ALP wants to stop the free market.
So they bring on the big euphemism "professional standards” run by a failed would be ALP candidate and ex judge so the ALP government have the power to impose "professional standards' and hence control the free press. How disgusting just like any cheap dictatorship.
The left including Conroy (who is paranoid sensitive to rigorous criticism) try to spin this as proof of "Murdoch" conspiracy (because people prefer and choose to buy Murdoch papers than Fairfax) and use it as a false premise to bring on his thought police . That is rubbish from Conroy to blame what people choose to do (not buy lefty Fairfax papers) as "proof" of Murdoch conspiracy .
Market forces are dictating and people are not buying the left but Conroy spins this as a conspiracy. What garbage. Fairfax recently sacked seventy "journalists" because people don't buy this lefty fish wrap but Conroy blames Murdoch. What spin from Conroy.
Let the left spin Murdoch conspiracy as they always do while the lefty papers continue to go broke like Fairfax because the public don't like to be lied to or treated like fools. The public is not half as stupid as the left media think they are ask the seventy sacked "journalists" now looking for a real job.
Yougenic | 4.10.12 @ 2:58PM
This is the final gambit. The LEFT knows they have lost. Only totalitarian control will retain their power. The LEFT's power has been eroding for years. Increasingly, it has fallen upon hard times - since they no longer control the media - as they did before the internet and talk radio. This is the expected response from those who claim they represent the "Little Guy" and special interests. Their passions are conditional - as are their beliefs in the fundamental liberties of mankind. These are the same clowns who invented language conventions to stilt debate in their favor. Politically Correct maxims were designed to render a debate where the facts are off limits - as are the behaviors of their sanctioned supporters - i.e. the Dependent Classes. The LEFT has jettisoned science and reality - they must. Facts and reality disembowel their arguments. All the LEFT has left is a radical power play to end debate and alternative opinions. Stalin and Mao would be proud.
Tony from Brisbane, Australia| 4.10.12 @ 6:41PM
Thank you for highlighting this travesty. Both the Finkelstein Report and the court decision in the Bolt affair are blots on Australia's history and reputation. They must be overturned, and the current Federal Government sent packing.
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 1:01AM
The RDA has been in place since 1975. Two liberal governments have seen fit to leave it unaltered since. It's hardly "this" government's doing. Nobody particularly cared about it until somebody powerful got nabbed, now it's suddenly a big deal.
Christine| 4.11.12 @ 4:21AM
The RDA, the additional clause, the so-called "Racial Hate Act", was added in 1995 to extend the RDA to prohibit offensive behaviour based on racial hatred on the subjective basis that a public act is reasonably likely in all the circumstances to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate that person or group. In other words, if someone of a particular, selective, group gets hurty feelings. It has no basis in objective truth, is unjust and not equally applied. It does not exclude matters of public interest or political debate. 18C has no place in Australian statutes. In 1995, it was unthinkable in Australia that anyone would sue someone for hurty feelings. That would have been met with hilarity and mocking. In 2012, certain, selective groups have used 18C to get payback forr their hurty feelings. And yes, we are not laughing now.
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 9:38AM
Fair enough. So why didn't the libs get rid of it?
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 7:41PM
...because the grievance mongers are all allied with leftist government institutions. They know that only totalitarian lefties will embrace their whining and use it as a bludgeoning tool to club the masses into silence and conformity.
Big Ern| 4.10.12 @ 7:13PM
At least Finkelstein was honest enough to admit he thinks the general population is stupid. This is what the left in America believes too, but they seldom come right out and admit it.
Darren from Sydney| 4.10.12 @ 7:30PM
Freedom of Speech in Australia started disappearing as soon as the current 'Government' was elected. They amended the Racial Discrimination Act (Section 18C) to include a section that it was illegal to cause 'offence or humiliation'. Basically Australia now suffers from reverse discrimination, ie: caucasions are discriminated against.
TassieRooster| 4.10.12 @ 8:41PM
The one thing the author didn't mention (perhaps he is unaware) is the 2nd stage of the plan by these Leftists to silence all dissent; The federal communications minister also wants to install an "Internet Filter" for the entire Australian population. They claim it is to stop illegal porn or terrorist site access, but the way it is to be administered leaves it wide open for these closet Marxists to restrict us from accessing anything they don't want us to see. BTW; this is a minority government with no popular mandate to enact any of these changes, a senior government minister is the Governor General's son-in-law, so we don't expect her to sack this abhorrent mob anytime soon.
EndGame| 4.10.12 @ 8:44PM
We have a Labor/Greens/Independents minority socialist government whose mantra is "whatever it takes" to stay in power. They are trying to send Australia on the road to servitude but there is now a groundswell against this inept government that will be resolved with the election of Tony Abbot and the Coalition in 2013.
RESIST| 4.10.12 @ 9:09PM
Not one word of criticism has come from the Fairfax media or the totalitarians at the ABC on this proposal which is actively supported by The Greens and their communist leader who also believes in one world government.
simonde| 4.11.12 @ 4:17AM
Your a bit hard on the communists ,Bob Brown was never associated with any thinking political group.
Mark| 4.10.12 @ 9:13PM
It is always possible to find someone who is offended by a comment. Australia has so many Government- subsidised ethnic and racial organizations that they have access to lawyers while others are silenced because of lack of funds.
Greg Turpin| 4.10.12 @ 9:58PM
Sir,
They are not the Australian Government, as they are not representative of the Australian people. At best you may refer to that collection of fools as the "Liebor,Green,Traitorous independents junta".
Kev| 4.10.12 @ 11:21PM
Thanks for highlighting this - our Government in Australia is corrupt and has been tightening the screws on our freedoms since 2007. We keep hoping for something to break this tenuous minority government agreement - but alas those independents who could deliver us a much-needed federal election are too deep in the pockets of our now-entrenched socialist dictatorship. Only a change of Government in this country will see us start to right the ship again. Keep talking about us over there in the USA. We are under attack from within. Traitors and totalitarians infect our government at all levels. Thank you
Gabriella Feltrin| 4.10.12 @ 11:33PM
Help!!!!!! We, the Australian people, are in the hands of an illegitimate government in league with the Green Devil and two Independents who have betrayed their conservative electorates.
Freedom of speech is the greatest freedom of all and from that freedom rests all freedoms. Do we really have to spill blood again for our freedoms which cost time and blood. Is that to be in vein?
Jim Stone| 4.10.12 @ 11:50PM
Dr. Colebatch is right. This is the ultimate betrayal of western civilisation. The collapse into totalitarianism is far advanced, and pointing out that such laws can and will be used against the left is to miss the point. Any use of these laws destroys us.
mags of Queensland| 4.11.12 @ 12:03AM
Like many free nations in the west Australia has come under the influence of the Green movement. They believe in a one world government and are doing all in their power to see it happen. Our government needs the Greens to stay in power and they have given them this sop to stifle commentary on their poor administration and the lunatic policies of the Greens. To dissent is to be labelled stupid or a redneck. It's hard to believe that an officer of the court would take such a view.
johnson| 4.11.12 @ 12:06AM
There are three news outlets in Australia: 1. the Murdoch owned News which the left say dominates the market, but in fact consumers choose to purchase and consume it. 2. the government funded ABC (TV, Radio, Online) which is seen as biased to the left and rarely criticizes the Greens or the Left and which has just won an extraordinary gift of largess from the government at News' expense (broadcast rights into china), and 3. Fairfax media which is resolutely of the Left and Green and which every day circulation plummets lower than their share price.
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 12:14AM
What a load of nonsense. The report proposed a streamlined complaints-handling process, with no serious legal powers. In order to force any publisher to do anything that the publisher disagreed with, it would have to apply to the courts - although it's no clear under what legislation that would be able to occur anyway. I'll say it again: No legal powers to compell anyone to do anything. If a newspaper (say) decided it didn't want to comply with a correction request, then it would have to go to the courts, and there are no laws for them to do that.
The situation we have in australia is that we have a couple of very powerful media companies who don't like being asked to issue corrections. They use their market position to harrass and bully and behave like thugs. We have defamation laws, yes, but the cost and difficulty of using them means that (ironically) it's only an option available to the wealthy. What you might NOT know is that our media companies are in fact some of the most ardent users of defamation threats (and suits). They use them to silence critics. Yes, you heard that right. The very people and groups currently blowing the finkelstein inquiry out of all proportion are themselves quite happy to use defamation law to shut down discussion about their own activities. And as long as that mechanism is out of reach for most people (including smaller media companies and publishers), then they're just peachy about that. Finkelstein threatens that legal advantage.
The thing about finkelstein that scares them the most is that there will be an official body that will be able to issue findings about their articles' accuracy. Even without the ability to require any sort of correction, that scares our media witless. We have a weekly, 12 minute show called "media watch" that usually has time to pick apart about one story a week. They check claims and reveal facts, and that show sends our journalists rabid with hatred and fear. Finkelstein is basically threatening to make that process a permanent fixture. That's it. That's what ALL of this fuss is about.
I'm a big fan of freedom of the press. The trouble is that nobody considers who or what it should be be free FROM. I think there are things other than government that can corrupt debate, and in australia we're seeing that first-hand. At the moment, the "right of reply" is nonexistent, and there is no efficient mechanism for anyone to challenge the facts claimed in an article. If one particular company decides to destroy somebody, they can pretty much do it.
There is nothing in the finkelstein report that threatens a free press. It might be threatening to the ego of journalists who don't like being shown to be wrong, absolutely. But I'm not worried about that.
joyful1234| 4.11.12 @ 1:25AM
Yes, Matthew, that is true.
"The situation we have in australia is that we have a couple of very powerful media companies who don't like being asked to issue corrections"
I have written to the ABC several times and they refuse to issue a correction .
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 2:21AM
So .... are you agreeing with me?
Davo in Perth| 4.11.12 @ 3:55AM
Matthew,
I disagree with you. Finkelstein's Ministry of Truth is to censor the print media and the Internet. It won't control what's on TV, so the ABC can continue in their biased way as they choose.
The ABC (equivalent of the British BBC) should be dismantled and sold off. Taxpayers should not be forced to finance this despicable government's propoganda outlet.
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 9:39AM
That's because what is on TV is already covered by ACMA. And the ABC's content is increasingly online.
If you've got a problem with the ABC, take it up with your nearest MP. They are answerable to government, you know.
DtjW| 4.11.12 @ 6:36AM
For any Americans that may be reading this – No Matthew – Joyful is not agreeing with you.
I’ll half play your sarcasm with - What part of Australia are you from that you have to ask? Canberra or Victoria?
You would have to be a child not to recognise that the (Totalitarian Left) Government funded ABC TV Channel bias in this country, which is never challenged on this obvious bias and is dismissive of anybody with an opposing opinion to their green ideology (aided and abetted by the sympathising and limp-wristed MSM), distort the truth and tell blatant lies, and never ever retracts or apologises.
Matthew| 4.11.12 @ 9:43AM
I know I'm going to regret this, but ... got some examples? Leaving aside the bit about bias and "dismissiveness", because that's just opinion. Tell me about some blatant lies that have not been retracted. No, really. I'm dying to hear this.
There are actually already regulating bodies for broadcast media, because they spectrum is regarded as a public asset, only being leased by the broadcasters. The point of finkelstein is to try to reproduce that role of ACMA in the print realm.
So you've dismissed the ABC as biased and blatantly lying, and you've chucked in the entire "MSM" as aiding and abetting. So ... where do you get your news from? Stormfront?
DtjW| 4.12.12 @ 5:23PM
Matthew, you didn’t have the decency to answer my “simple” question.
Your reply was to proceed with your own questions, with a total disregard to answering mine, and you expect a detailed account from the reporting of this years Australia Day Riot by the ABC, (one example that comes to mind).
Why would I bother pandering to the wants of someone so dismissive of my very simple question?
In answer to your final paragraph - “Never argue with an idiot” – and that is exactly what you are. My Opinion of course. Goodbye.
Matthew| 4.13.12 @ 2:46AM
I'm not going to be handing out personal details, and I'm not interested in the game of trying to turn a debate into something ad hominem. I don't see what difference it makes where I live, but sure - I do currently live in canberra (but I wasn't born here).
Now, my recollection of the ABC's coverage of the australia day riots is that it was pretty darn accurate. What complaints were made that were ignored?
Vox Populi| 4.11.12 @ 5:00AM
One rhing only about "Marrhew's" letter is true: "there will be an official body that will be able to issue findings about their articles' accuracy." Thr rest is a pack of lies.
sodapoppy| 4.11.12 @ 6:01AM
So you're a big fan of freedom of the press? And a big fan of Media Watch? And you're a fan of Finkeldinkle? Better sit down and sort out your thoughts, sonny boy!
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 7:55PM
Matthew,
Your naivete on this issue is breathtaking. Totalitarians rarely will completely usurp free institutions in one fell swoop; they achieve the usurpation through incrementalism. Are you so ignorant of history to not recognize this fact? Or perhaps you believe governments are noble and don't abuse power. Either way, the 20th century alone is filled with enough examples to warrant a different pattern of thought.
Australia's constitution has a litany of "negative liberties" proscribed therein that specifically dictate things the people are free FROM. Sounds to me you know very little about your governments ruling documents.
Finally, Right of Reply is not non-existent. This is a fabrication out of whole cloth, and perhaps the silliest thing you said. If a serious issue is to be debated, a litany of newspapers exist to present different viewpoints. If one newspaper prints a damning article about someone, any other newspaper can write an article refuting the content of the original article. This is so patently obvious, I simply can't understand how you don't understand this point. Unless, of course, you have an ideological axe to grind in support of said proposal from Mr. Finkelstein.
Wayneofperth| 4.11.12 @ 1:00AM
Dear Hal
Agree with you 100% but query your reference to poet A D Hope.
I find the line in the great James McAuley's poem Envoi
Regards
Davo in Perth| 4.11.12 @ 3:27AM
Thanks Hal for taking an interest.
The situation in Oz is bad re freedom of speech. The Marxists running the show, together with two despicable slimeballs who support them, want to remove our right to criticise them and their pet projects (the Bolt case, for example).
They are mainly critical of the Murdoch press, the other media outlets (the Fairfax press and the leftist dominated Australian Broadcasting Corporation) continue to sing praises for the Marxists.
We have to wait another 18 months before our next elections when the Marxists (Australian Labor Party and their coalition partner, the Greens) will be thrown out of Parliament House. Until then, this mob will use every trick in the book to stifle free speech which is critical of them.
They will be decimated at the next elections, the recent state elections in Queensland saw them reduced from the governing majority to a handfull not large enough to form a party (less then 10). This will play out Australia wide in the next Federal elections, we can't stand these liers and incompetent clowns.
GetOut| 4.11.12 @ 4:15AM
We have a self confessed atheist and liar as our Prime Minister who lied to the Australian people about not introducing an economy destroying carbon tax then did so after scraping together a minority Labor/Greens/Independent government. The attack on our freedom of speech is just another agenda she has in collusion with the one world government worshipping Greens whose leader has just given his Greens Party anniversary speech with the words "My Fellow Earthians". Says it all really.
Simon| 4.11.12 @ 9:36AM
I find it interesting that someone, apparently so learned, could write such unmitigated nonsense.
It seems apparent that Mr Colebatch has not taken the time to read the (470 page) report he attempts to deride with such spirit.
One has only to look at his first reference to a specific paragraph (4.1o) .
His assertions about it are at best disingenuous and at worst blatantly milsleading.
The paragraph does not say either that "the council should control speech in Australia" or that "the people are too stupid to be allowed free access to news".
Both those statements are simply untrue. Indeed on one view they are the type of statement that gave rise to the request for the review .
To use a phrase apparently in common use in the U.S. - this whole piece is a Fail.
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 7:59PM
It is you Simon who have failed. It was Mr. Finkelstein who commented on the stupidity of the public. The rest is inferred from the nature of the document. That you have such a limited grasp on political history that you fail to understand the threat posed by such recommendations is how sheep are led to slaughter.
hillbilly33| 4.11.12 @ 9:42AM
@ Matthew @ 11.14."We have a weekly, 12 minute show called "media watch" that usually has time to pick apart about one story a week. They check claims and reveal facts, and that show sends our journalists rabid with hatred and fear. Finkelstein is basically threatening to make that process a permanent fixture. That's it. That's what ALL of this fuss is about." Glad you're a fan of the rabidly Left-Wing Media Watch, another program of Left-wing dominated National Broadcaster "our" ABC. But you won't like this comment from your hero in a rare moment of common sense!
"Nevertheless, Justice Bromberg's interpretation of the Racial Discrimination Act, and his application of it to Bolt's columns, strikes me as profoundly disturbing. Unlike Greg Barns and David Marr, I am not a lawyer, so I may have misunderstood some parts of Justice Bromberg's 57,000-word judgment. I hope I have. Because
to my mind His Honour's claim that his judgment need not affect the media's freedom to publish reports and comments on racial identity is clearly absurd. But this judgment reinforces all the concerns that its opponents had when the Keating government added Part 2A to the Racial Discrimination Act in 1995. It creates one
particular area of public life where speech is regulated by tests that simply don't apply anywhere else, and in which judges - never, for all their pontifications, friends of free speech - get to do the regulating." Jonathon Holmes, ABC Media Watch presenter! http://www.abc.net.au/news/201.....erg-and-a-
profoundly-disturbing-judgment/3038156
You are obviously very young and trusting. Try and talk to some people from Europe who saw the rise of dictators and destruction of every one of their freedoms and rights in their countries, which is the same path on which we are headed under this lying unmandated hotch-potch of Labor, Greens and self-serving "independents" laughingly calling themselves a Government! We don't, nor never will need the draconian restrictions proposed in what has become known as the Fink Report which was designed purely to prevent legitimate criticism of crazy Government policies and bungles, but we desperately need a 1st amendment - "Congress(Parliament) shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
The majority of your post is ill-informed nonsense. Wake up before it's too late Matthew!
Tony| 4.11.12 @ 11:35AM
Hillbilly33,
I think Dr. Colebatch's article is an appropriate, clear and necessary commentary on the very dangerous rise of totalitarianism.
The frog is beginning to boil as laid back (horozontal) Australians and others in Western societies barely realise what is happenning.
In order to intimidate those that dare to speak up, the leftist trolls are very active.
I strongly suspect our pals Mattthew and Mal are the same two trolls who seem to have time for full time trolling at Amazon.com.
Their activism in favour of the author Anita Heiss and her Government funded "poor bugger me" fiction title; Am I black enough for you?, will give you an idea what sort of dogma you are attempting to reply to.
To the American readers here, please be aware that the leftists world wide believe they are on a roll as they create new groups such as Getup.org and have infiltrated/taken over many other groups/n.g.o.'s such as WWF, Amnesty and of course a whole barnyard full of U.N commitees.
These activists have no respect what soever for the Bill of Rights and will simply ignore or roll over the top of it if they think they can.
Further, they will never stop trying.
Matthew| 4.12.12 @ 9:10AM
You guys are ridiculous. You're not just ridiculous because you're proposing things that would have to pass a LOT of stumbling blocks before even becoming feasible (by all means, if parliament elects a president for life, then you've got my attention), and you're not just ridiculous because you seem to be relying on utterly distorted views of reality (and an absence of facts), but mostly you're ridiculous because you have no knowledge of history. Honestly - you're comparing now with germany in the 30's? Russia at the turn of the century? My god. Please - read some books. Get a clue.
I suggest maybe leaving the house. Start small. Look at the weather forecast, pick a sunny day, and just walk out that door. Go find a park and read a book or something. Maybe talk to normal people. Dunno - maybe try to get some sleep?
Then I'd suggest really broadening your reading material. Try reading some history books written a bit closer to the time - let's say the 70's, before the right realised they'd have to start making up their own history in order to get anything done.
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 8:00PM
...and the rest of us suggest you go troll somewhere else.
topeka| 4.14.12 @ 10:00AM
Matthew,
According to the Right-wing blogosphere freedom fighters around the world have a chance to defeat the Leftists/Socialists/Communists and their Hate Driven Agenda for Total Government.
If I follow your advice - and just examine my own community without the aid of the internet...
Observation of reality suggests the Right-wing has lost...
And the Left is just waiting for the right moment to build the death camps.
Of course... I also have had access to a broad range of observations - what the Govt is up to, what the Parties are up to, and so forth. Most fools are not connected to anything - they only see their little world.
Just want to thank you, Matthew, for your part in helping to advance the global Leftist agenda and its hatred and violence.
Thanks for all the murder, poverty, oppression, repression, rape, war, unemployment, and money-printing - great job there!
TheRedRat| 4.11.12 @ 4:14PM
Gentle Readers
Please excuse Lee-anne, obviously the meds are a bit off today.
As for freedom of speech, and media censorship. Hate speech and racial vilification are crimes in Australia and I can live with that. As for media control the Australian media is one of the most concentrated in the Western World with Rupert Murdoch controlling around 70% of print media. The Finklestein generated discussion reflects more on the lack of diversity in political view rather than an attempt to muzzle the press. As for Keith Windshuttle, as we say in Australia, that bloke couldn't lie straight in bed.
Davo in Perth| 4.12.12 @ 12:36AM
You're wrong Rodent. Murdoch owns around 35% of Australia's newspapers, but have 70% of the market. Why is this?? - people prefer to read non-biased newspapers.
Mark| 4.12.12 @ 1:53AM
"Gentle Readers"??
Who are you, Phillip Adams or what?
Poppakap| 4.12.12 @ 8:04PM
The fact that you can live happily in a society with thought crimes says quite enough. You are a lemming being led off a cliff.
Ever heard of a guy called Orwell? He wrote about thought crimes in his book 1984. Apparently, you missed the book or its meaning, and he was writing specifically about the future legislative attempts of Labour governments. He has yet to be shown wrong.
TheRedRat| 4.11.12 @ 4:22PM
Anyone talking about Marxists in 2012, has a problem with reality, anyone referring to the center right ALP as Marxist / Communist.....is ignorant of basic political philosophy......
By the way it has been consistent NLP policy to oppose any formal Bill of Rights in Australia so get off your high horse whingers
Lee-anne | 4.11.12 @ 6:08PM
So Red Rat, Adam Bandt is not a declared Marxist and Lee Rhiannan, was never a member of the Australian Comminist Party and our Dear Leader, Ms Gillard, was never a member of the Socialist Forum? Oh that's right, Ms Gillard was only typing newsletters, that's all, nothing serious.
As for me being of my meds today, you obviously have no idea, either that, or your just another left wing troll!
Denis McCarthy| 4.11.12 @ 4:50PM
This whole situation reflects the left wing mentality that of course you are free to speak and to write what you think as long as you agree with us. Shades of East Germany!
1735099 | 4.11.12 @ 5:46PM
This beat up is hilarious. Free speech is alive and well in Oz. See - http://1735099.blogspot.com.au.....mment.html
hillbilly33| 4.11.12 @ 10:50PM
@ The Red Rat
Socialism is an ideal which is basically communism without the guns and dictators and most people recognise that many genuinely believe in the aims and methods of socialism which is where I would say most in the ALP are solidly entrenched.
Sadly, after nearly eight decades on this planet, I have seem many countries great and small go down this aspirational path and in almost every case they have finished up under an oppressive dictatorship and a ruling "class" supported by an army of people with guns!
A Bill of Rights sounds fine but should be accompanied by a Bill of Responsibilities to come with those rights , otherwise that too can be used to silence people and suppress freedom of speech.
Any legislation which does not acknowledge the sort of protection embodied in the USA First Amendment should be unacceptable anywhere!
When a judge can say a person's right to feel offended can over-rule the rights of another to be free to express an opinion, particularly on the use of taxpayer's money, and further, that any offense given can be based solely on that judge's interpretation of what was meant and how it was expessed, we are in deep trouble.
Consider too that persons feeling offended, insulted or defamed have remedies under defamation laws if they so choose.
To give us all a time for serious reflection on possible consequences, I wish Australians would forget about what is Left or Right, or their hatred of some particular columnist and realise that any legislation which restricts freedom of speech or freedom of the Press, such as that of section 18c of the Racial Hatred Act, and the unwarranted restrictions proposed by Finkelstein is a two-edged sword. A decision you applaud now may be used against you in the future by a Government of a different persuasion!
Please Australia. Stop and think!
topeka| 4.14.12 @ 10:17AM
@hillbilly33,
excellent comment. No one who knows the history of the last eighty years needs any further information. But for those who may have been living under a rock, I would like to add
- to explain some of the complexities of actual history
- such as the differences between the stories of India, China, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Zimbabwe, and so forth - cultural differences.
Socialists who win today may not thirst for blood, vengeance, or ethnic cleansing against their political opponents - being satisfied with economic punishment, joblessness, and second-class citizenship for their enemies. So things are not so bad initially. And the winners always claim their success proves the mettle of their ideas - no matter its just theft.
... eventually though the party fades and slows as the Goose gets tired of laying golden eggs without ever having a chick.
... so they have to kill it - thinking its the Kulaks, or the peasant saboteurs, or the Jews, ... or whatever (anything but their policies). (In India, e.g. , they just let the people starve... and blamed over-population.)
... and then the violence starts.
Mark| 4.12.12 @ 1:32AM
Malcolm Turnbull is known locally as Malcolm Turncoat and is suspected by many of being a sleeper for Labor.
Cynthia Lauren Thorpe| 4.16.12 @ 9:10PM
Hal. Thanks for the reporting.
I'm a Christian American living in South Australia (and have done so for the past almost 5 years) and I've seen - directly - the 'path' which Australia has chosen, perhaps long before - therefore, more firmly entrenched - America's.
I have committed to stay in Australia - yet, should this continue - I'm 'outta here' and back to my country - where there is 'at the very least' a glimmer of hope - with men who admittedly have been naive - but, still maintain a bastion of true Liberty.
I HIGHLY recommend to any Australian Male who hasn't been 'neutered' by this insidious 'progressive-ism' - to get to Dean Gotcher's web site: Authority Research.com and have a listen as to what we are truly up against.
Praying for each of you with 'ears to hear'.
C.L. Thorpe
Thorpie in the Coastal Outback
POST American| 4.19.12 @ 12:10AM
------------------FINAL WORD----------------------
--Poor, poor Aussies. SO put upon.
SO bilked and programmed for the
deadly, deadly, deadly Globalist
capstone RED China handover
and FINAL EUGENICS OP.
POOR AUSTRALIA!
Anyone needing a little sobering u[
as to the real creeping nature of this
century long masonic nightmare need
look no further than that youtube video
of former PM Rudd on all fours addressing
the leadership of the most awesomely
democidal regime mankind's ever seen
--and laying out the Fabian age-enda.
See if you can hold down your lunch.
--------------SEE!
OH--------------------DEAR, POOR AUSTRALIA. . .