The Government has brushed off Internet Industry expert opinion with emotional rhetoric - but will they reveal the basis for their false assumptions that their proposals have a snowballs chance in hell of working???

In the eyes of all technologically aware Internet Industry experts the proposals are so absurdly stupid and un-implementable as to be laughable, if it weren't going to cost the industry $27,500 per ISP per day in fines.

Most Internet users are more concerned about security of financial transactions, costs of access and quality of access. Well, now quality will go down and costs will go up across the board in a futile attempt to implement unworkable legislation.

What does the Government and the Senate Select Committee base their erroneous assumptions on?

• It is not Industry expert opinion or consultation (which opposes the measures);
• It is not the majority of submissions to the Senate Select Committee on Information Technology (the overwhelming majority of the 100 submissions opposed the Bill)
• It is not community concern (over 80% of Australians wish the Senate would mind their own business);
• It is certainly NOT technically achievable or provable FACTS.

Are we being deliberately deceived or are our Politicians incapable of understanding the issues past superficial appearances??

How it WILL affect you:

• Sites will be blocked, and not just pornographic, hate or violent ones
• YOUR home page could be subject to a take-down order if someone complains about it and the ABA don't like it - Freedom of Speech is dead in Australia unless you've got a lot of money or own the media
• General access WILL BE slowed down;
• Why your ISP will have to monitor your e-mail:
  From the Government's own Ammendments:
  "Clarify that private e-mails do not fall within the scope of the legal regime, and ensure that industry Codes of Practice will cover e-mails that direct the recipient to highly offensive or illegal material"
  - would the Government like to explain how the ISPs, who have to implement the "industry Codes of Practice", are going to determine which e-mails "direct the recipient to highly offensive or illegal material" without intercepting and reading ALL YOUR eMAIL??? (Technical specifications please - not emotive rhetoric or glib generalities thank you.)
  - would the Government also like to explain WHO is going to PAY for all these extra overheads?
• Higher overheads mean higher costs to be passed on to, you guessed it, consumers
• EFA March and Rally details - 28th May 1999
• Letter to Australia - SAVE OUR INTERNET - 22nd May.
• It may already be too late - 11th May.
• Introduction to the issue - 27th April.

What you CAN do:

• Ring and/or write and complain LOUDLY to your local member - ESPECIALLY if they are BackBenchers;
• Write and politely but firmly object to the Governor General of Australia
  His Excellency William Deane, AC, KBE
  Government House
  Canberra ACT 2600
• Demand to know what the Government/Senate Select Committee based their assumptions on (and insist on FACTS, not emotional rhetoric)
• If you have your own site or domain that may get blocked by Australian censorship move it off-shore before the ABA orders your ISP to take it down. High risk sites include any site that refers to any sexual organ or process - for example breast or prostate cancer information or support sites, nursing mothers; family planning; medical research; artificial breeding; animal breeders; drug advice and youth counselling; violence and rape crisis centres; whips; toys; engineering (nipples); etc etc. DON'T BELIEVE THE GOVERNMENT IF THEY TELL YOU IT WON'T HAPPEN - IT HAS HAPPENED EVERYWHERE BLOCKING SOFTWARE HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED. THE SOFTWARE IS INHERENTLY STUPID, AND PROTECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT FROM ANY ACCOUNTABILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ERRORS.

Do not assume you can e-mail your political representatives - with the possible exception of the Labour Party our politicians don't seem to know how to use it, and certainly don't know where the "reply" button is. They will IGNORE your email. Even Senator Alston's office (you remember him - the current Minister for Communications among other things) doesn't know the difference between e-mail and spam.

The future of the Internet is in YOUR hands. Write to the Governor General NOW. Call your local Backbencher NOW. Tomorrow may be too late.