<nettime> Net Censor Submissions [AU]

[sam <sam@media.com.au>]

          [orig to <active-list@lists.urg.org.au>.]

hi,

the senate is reviewing the govt's decision to regulate online services
and is asking for submissions. below is the complete text from the little
advert and also some links for information that may be of assistance.

anyhow - it would be really good to for people to get to know some of the
issues - and consider what's really going on. all artists, activists,
academics, independent content producers, anyone who wants to be able to
upload content without having to obtain a licence in two years time should
be concerned. the net is the only medium we have some sort of access to -
and its disappearing fast.

see http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&ID=3648 for the
release ...

what is illegal content anyway, and more importantly - who considers it
illegal ??

that's it - adios, sam.


see http://www.efa.org.au/ for more info also ...


SENATE REVIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO REGULATE ONLINE SERVICES

On 25th March 1999 the Senate established the Select Committee on
Information Technologies. One o fthe Committee's terms of reference is:

	To examine the Government's decision to establish
	a regulatory framework relating to illegal or offensive
	material published and transmitted through online
	services such as the Internet.

The Government decision referred to was that announced by Senator the Hon
Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and
the Arts, on 19 March 1999 (http://www.dca.gov.au/mediarel.htm for
details)

The Committee invites interested persons or organisations wishing to
express their views in relation to this matter to lodge written
submissions with the Secretary, Senate Select Committee on Information
Technologies, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600, by Friday 30 April
1999.

The Committee will consider all submissions and may invite individuals and
representatives of organisations making submissions to give supporting
evidence at public hearings. Further information and notes to assist in
the preparation of submissions are available from the Committee Secretary
at the above address, by telephone on (02) 6277 3646, by fax on (02) 6277
5866, via e-mail at it.sen@aph.gov.au or via the Internet at
http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/it_ctte/index.htm

Submissions may be made public by the Committee. Persons making
submissions should not release them without the prior concurrence of the
Committee.




-------------------- March 1st 1999

http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&ID=3563

Lauch of 'iFILTER' - a system to Filter Information


--------------------- March 19th 1999

http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&ID=3648

Media Release by Fed Govt on Net Regulation

     The Government will introduce stronger measures to protect Australian
citizens, especially
     children, against illegal or highly offensive material on the
internet, the Minister for
     Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard
Alston, announced
     today.

     The internet, and other online services, have the capacity to
significantly improve the lives of
     all Australians by providing access to services, by creating new jobs
and new categories of
     jobs, and by providing access to information and entertainment
sources around the world.

     But the internet can also be used as a forum for the dissemination of
offensive or illegal
     material. The Government takes very seriously its responsibility to
provide a workable and
     effective regime to prevent the publication of this material.....
etc.....


--------------------- March 19th 1999

http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&ID=3654

Interview with Alston about Net Regulation


--------------------- March 30th 1999

http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&ID=3697

'The Labor Party has sent confusing and mixed messages about its attitude
to this important
     subject. Labor frontbenchers have criticised and ridiculed the
Government's announcement
     of measures to safeguard Australian children from illegal and highly
offensive material on the
     internet such as paedophile lists, bomb-making recipes or explicit
sex acts,' Senator Alston
     said.

'For the sake of the nation's children, Mr Beazley should immediately
confirm that the Labor
     Party will support the Government's measures.'

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