The message I’m getting from most of the staffers is that the filter is unofficially dead in the water, but I don’t think that’s good enough. I want it stone dead, publicly, before the election is called, or they will have lost my vote.

If you also want to kill off this albatross, I strongly recommend that you start phoning too.

I can’t see the Liberals living up to their promise either. There’s more religious fanatics on that side of politics, from the leader down.

And we know they both answer to the Zionist owned media, which is very worried about the internet’s potential to further diminish their influence over the public. It’s depressing.

I also received a much more positive response to my inquiry about Internet censorship policy from Warren Entsch a couple of days ago. Mr Entsch is running in Leichhardt at the coming election for the Liberal-National Party. I wrote a report for CairnsBlog about this – see: Warren Entsch says no to compulsory internet censorship
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Email from Jim Turnour, MP for Leichhardt

Dear Syd,

Thank you for your email concerning cyber-safety and internet service provider (ISP) filtering. I appreciate your interest in this important issue.

I understand that there is considerable community concern about the government’s plans for an internet filter and can assure you that I have taken an active interest in this issue. Some of the claims about censorship and the like are not correct and any proposal will be implemented in the best interests of the community.

The Government recognises that the internet is an essential tool for all Australians through which they can exchange information, be entertained, socialise, do school work and research. The ability to use online tools effectively provides both a skill for life and the means to acquire new skills.

Unfortunately the internet can also be used inappropriately. It has provided a powerful new medium which can be used to distribute material which is not acceptable to most Australians, particularly children.

The complexity of the issue is why the Government has always maintained there is no silver bullet solution to cyber-safety. In developing our approach we have been informed by the Government’s pilot of ISP level filtering and extensive industry feedback about the most appropriate way to improve safety online. In particular our approach has been informed by the constructive input of Australia’s four largest ISPs, who came forward with a set of principles which the Government has taken into account.

The Government’s approach involves a comprehensive suite of measures to address the range of issues and challenges faced by families when they are online. These measures build upon the Government’s existing cyber-safety plan which includes law enforcement, education and information, research and international co-operation. $125.8 million was allocated to this plan in the 2007-08 budget, which included funding for 91 Australian Federal Police officers to the Child Protection Operations Team.

The Government has also announced three new measures to enhance its existing cyber-safety program, all from within the existing funding:
* Introduction of mandatory ISP-level filtering of Refused
Classification (RC) content in order to reduce the risk of inadvertent exposure. RC material includes child sexual abuse imagery, bestiality, sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act.
* A grants program to encourage ISPs to offer additional filtering services to households on a commercial basis and optional basis.
* Funding of $17 million over five years for a range of education, awareness and counselling services based on recommendations from the Government’s 300 strong Youth Advisory Group, and advice from its Consultative Working Group on Cyber-safety.

These measures tackle the issue of cyber-safety from a number of
directions and provide parents and carers with the necessary information to assist with this task.

Information on both the existing and new cyber-safety measures is
available at http://www.dbcde.gov.au/cybersafetyplan .

Thank you for your interest in this matter. I trust this information will be of assistance.

Regards,
Jim

PS I have forwarded your letter to the PM as requested.

Equally scandalous stonewalling by the establishment must come to an end, and as an alternative local electorate offices to set-up the vital umbilical cord interface between the electorate and its local MP. Who must adhere to the representative democracy ethos. Where just as vital on MP would be to serve the people (and not merely pleasing the insatiable powerbrokers). While applying vested powers in accordance with the authentic democracy, towards the real economy generation. Based on the moral law and order within the social responsibility to the effectively informed society.

Solidly set on the equal citizens’ rights to the elementary means of existence! Such as: basic subsistence, healthcare, housing, education, unimpeded access to the uncensored internet and direct employment engagement venues with the real employers (instead of sustaining parasitic body-hire cartel).

Thus inevitably, local electorate offices to function as vital communication exchange bureau for the active citizens participation towards the meaningful contribution through the local parliamentarian’s domain. With an ultimate goal on mind for a direct, participatory democracy by the people and for the people!