Australian Censorship

[apathy maybe]

The BBC currently has an article running ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6551003.stm ) on how the Howard government is introducing more laws to ban more books.

Originally posted by BBC+--> (BBC)The Australian government has announced plans to outlaw material that advocates terrorism - a move designed to tighten its already strict censorship rules.

Books and films deemed to glorify terrorism will be removed from shelves and barred from entering the country. [/b]

BBC
But the government has dismissed these concerns, saying public safety overrides the issue of free speech.(My bold).
In Australia the states and the federal government both have the power to censor books, my understanding of this new regulation is that the it mainly concerns the Federal government's trade and customs powers (see the Wikipedia article Censorship in Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship+in+Australia)).

It is currently night time in Australia, and I haven't yet seen any Australian media organisations pick this up (well not quite true, Radio Australia has an article http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/s1896096.htm ).


Anyway, I think someone should blow up the prime minister. Oh wait, that just got me censored.

[Delirium]

This law could easily be applied to censor the left, at least in the us some organizations are labled 'domestic terrorists'.

[apathy maybe]

Here is another article from the ABC, http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1897019.htm

Originally posted by Attorney-General Philip Ruddock
"Will Australia be a safer place if you stopped one person thinking of conducting themselves in that way? It would be a safer place.What was that quote about freedom and security again? Something, http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

Yes, the ELF are terrorists for spray painting SUVs (and I guess burning shit). How many deaths have they 'caused? Fuck the government. All of them.

[Captain Communism]

Don't worry about Howard he'll be gone in the next federal election (hopefully) but I dont think many people are that concerned with the book banning since I havnt heard anything about it up until today. Im guessing when they say terrorism they include anything left wing?

[Sir_No_Sir]

I feel for the comrades down under. It's tough there, it seems.

[redcannon]

But the government has dismissed these concerns, saying public safety overrides the issue of free speech.

"Those who trade their liberty for a little bit of safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
~Benjamin Franklin

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14, 2007 07:59 am

But the government has dismissed these concerns, saying public safety overrides the issue of free speech.

"Those who trade their liberty for a little bit of safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
~Benjamin Franklin
me like for Ben Frank

[Brekisonphilous]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14, 2007 07:59 am

But the government has dismissed these concerns, saying public safety overrides the issue of free speech.

"Those who trade their liberty for a little bit of safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"
~Benjamin Franklin
That's definitely a great quote that applies perfectly to this situation.

This really is terrible... It's sad to see the post-industrial countries slipping into police states. But it is the people's fault for letting it happen.

[Question everything]

I heard that quote to except it went some thing more like this...

"anyone is willing to sacrifice a little liberty for a little security, deserves neither, and will lose both."
~Benjamin Franklin

However that law is fascist and oppressive but at least you still got the internet (Guerillas manuals are real easy to find online).

[Wozza]

Living in Australia, this is another move by the Howard Government to abolish some of the basic rights granted to citizens. The Howard Government has, in many occassions, flexed it's power the the fullest extent and beyond. They have axed TV shows that show political bias (Freedom of speech...yeah right.) This latest development is, to quote Pinkfloyd, "Another brick in the wall".

Fuck Howard, Fuck Ruddock.

[Question everything]

Originally posted by [email protected] 18, 2007 10:36 am
Living in Australia, this is another move by the Howard Government to abolish some of the basic rights granted to citizens. The Howard Government has, in many occassions, flexed it's power the the fullest extent and beyond. They have axed TV shows that show political bias (Freedom of speech...yeah right.) This latest development is, to quote Pinkfloyd, "Another brick in the wall".

Fuck Howard, Fuck Ruddock.
So now if you speak out against the gouvernment on TV you're show could get axed!?! Thank God I don't live in Australia!!!

[kurohata]

1984 called; they want to know what the weather is like here in 1983.

[Comrade Wolfie's Very Nearly Banned Adventures]

*puts on Aussie acent*

"You call that a free country? THIS is a free country"