I’m seeing a lot of ALP fanboys/girls who are also #openinternet supporters, having a crisis now the election has been called. They want to be “moving forward“, they want to be rid of the filter but at what cost? If they get rid of the ALP they’re not too happy with the alternative as @trib explains below.
So what does someone who shares these views do? Well I think a lot of them are probably thinking a similar way to @trib next tweet.
Compromise your ideals because the alternative is too unpalatable. Give up on free speech & liberty, move it down the list of priorities. Vote the ALP back in, then hope like hell they’ll somehow see reason. I’m not picking on @trib I’ve seen many similar comments in the last 24 hours. The problem with this theory is that it is delusional. I think a lot of ALP supporters are going through a grieving process after such hype and hope in 2007. Right now they’re in the first stage – denial.
If a child continually sticks out his tongue at everyone and is never corrected in this behavior, it’s unlikely things will get any better. Senator Conroy’s behavior has been like that of a badly behaving child. Running around his portfolio with his hands over his ears screaming “can’t hear you can’t hear you”. Quite frankly you would have to be in denial if you think this behavior will change without some strong action. Since 1999 we’ve had smart ALP folk like Senator Kate Lundy oppose Net censorship, then quickly do a backflip in 2007, now she has finally come back to the position of an opt in only filter. To which Conroy of course, accused her and those with that opinion of wanting to opt in to child porn. Arguments of an ignorant spoilt child.
If voters return the ALP and Victoria returns Conroy as it’s Senator, we will definitely end up with net censorship. So where does Online censorship sit in your list of priorities? Personally as much as I would like to be rid of this Government, I can also see why people are more than nervous about the alternative. I’ll be looking for an Australian Democrat or maybe whacky independent to vote for. If the @aussexparty is standing a candidate in Isaacs I’ll be voting for them. I will be preferencing ALP last & libs second last. I will definitely be voting BELOW the line in the Senate though and I will be numbering every box and making sure Senator Conroy is last.
Here is a good “how to vote” to get rid of Conroy. http://filter-conroy.org/
Edit: Follow up post ALP How To Vote
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One must remember that for a piece legislation to become “law” in this country, it has to pass through the House of Representatives, and the Senate. For the point of the argument, lets assume that the ALP win this election. If and when the legislation is FINALLY introduced into parliament – (I say finally, because they’ve been TRYING to cook this up since 2007) – it would almost certainly pass the House with not much resistance. The Senate, however, is another issue entirely. The Greens are staunchly against the filter, and it appears that (cautiously for me, I might add) given comments attributed to Joe Hockey this past weekend, an anti-filter stance may now be official Liberal policy. If the Greens are against it, and the Liberals are against it, it becomes far more difficult for the legislation to pass through the Senate. That’s what the Senate is for, and why it is important for the Senate to consist of a different power balance than exists in the House. The Liberals may or may not win the House – (and therefore the election) – but if the Senate can keep the ALP (if it is returned) from railroading the policy into law, the Senate will have served its purpose – in the way it is meant to do.
PS: as a clarification point, I’m no ALP fanboy…
Apologies if I have unfairly categorized folk above as ALP fanboys
Unless of course ACL is backing candidates for the senate