Australia revokes internet anonymity during election

[CptStern]

fascism is in fashion down under it seems ..

South Australia's Attorney-General has defended tougher laws on political comment made on the internet.

During election periods, anyone posting comment or blogs must publish their real name and postcode.

"All it is ... is a re-formulation of the very old rule which has applied throughout our lifetimes that if in the election period, and only in the election period, if you write a letter to the paper calculated to affect the result of the election then you have to do so under a real name and a real address."

Mr Atkinson says television and radio has always been regulated by the Commonwealth and it is most likely that comment on websites such as the ABC's would fall into that category.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/02/2807584.htm?section=justin

 

[Solaris]

Retarded and unenforceable.

Wtf are you doing Australia???

 

[Dinnesch]

Is Australia becomming communistic or something like that? Looks a lot like it :/

 

[Naph]

We're trying to repel Vegeta from entering the country it seems.

 

[Suicide Machine]

Australia, ****ing hell.

 

[Sparta]

Oh for ****s sake what is happening to this country?

 

[Acepilotf14]

I sense a world war approaching.

 

[Vegeta897]

We're trying to repel Vegeta from entering the country it seems.

Err wat

 

[VirusType2]

This is terrifying. Wow. We vote anonymously, behind curtains and shit. It's nobody's ****ing business how I vote unless I choose to make it public knowledge. Political comment is no exception.

Can anyone explain to me how this could be helpful? Is it to make sure the people commenting are really from Australia?

 

[CptStern]

This is terrifying. Wow. We vote anonymously, behind curtains and shit. It's nobody's ****ing business how I vote unless I choose to make it public knowledge. Political comment is no exception.

Can anyone explain to me how this could be helpful? Is it to make sure the people commenting are really from Australia?

The editor of The Advertiser newspaper Melvin Mansell is outraged by the Attorney-General's move.

"What the Attorney-General is trying to achieve here is to avoid any criticism whatsoever of government policy," he said.

"The clear implication is that if you show enough dissent he's going to take action against you."

and ..

Southern Australia is about to enter a formal campaign period ahead of its state poll on March 20.

it's useful to them because they effectively silence criticism

 

[Warped]

if anyone wants to move from Australia to the US your free to do so. i will not bash you

 

[Stigmata]

Is Australia becomming communistic or something like that? Looks a lot like it :/

Communism != fascism. Communism is actually a pretty decent idea, it's just easy to abuse if you're in power.

Anyway, this is absolute bullshit and I'm already pretty angry over this, even though it doesn't affect me in the least. Ozzies should move to Canada or the US. We're still alright, though we're slowly switching roles.

 

[Shakermaker]

Oz has lost its mind. This is totalitarianism. Wtf is happening down under? You guiz used to be about sheep, beaches, alcohol, Steve Irwin and hawt chicks.

 

[Stigmata]

And sharks.

 

[PvtRyan]

Dear Australia,

Fuck you very much.

Sincerely,

P. Nus

 

[PriNcE oF SpAcE]

Steve Irwin was keeping Australia "sane" with his "wonderful" stunts...once he got stung by that stingray it all went to crap.

I guess they figured they needed someone else to go do silly stunts....problem is it's not quite as charming when it the politicians doing silly stunts with the peoples rights.

 

[YROC]

The good part of Australia died with Steve Irwin.

 

[Naph]

I'm pretty sure along with this comes the ability to be charged about lying over the internet.

Sigh.

 

[Shyam]

Oz has lost its mind. This is totalitarianism. Wtf is happening down under? You guiz used to be about sheep, beaches, alcohol, Steve Irwin and hawt chicks.

What ? Sheep is our thing, Shaker. They can take their internet fascist laws, while we get an exceptionally slow broadband.

 

[Operational]

OMG WTF Australia?!?!?!?
Fascist!
Communist!
Whats GOING on DOWN there?
GET out while YOU CAN, THe US still has ROOM!

the legislation - which requires people posting internet comments on the March 20 poll to use their real names - will be scrapped.

"It may be humiliating for me but that's politics in a democracy, I'll take my lumps," Mr Atkinson said in a statement to News Ltd.

"This way, no one need fear now that they are being censored on the net or in blogs, whether they blog under their own name or anonymously."

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/atkinson-to-repeal-internet-law-20100203-nbmt.html
Oh, crisis over people, I guess Australia isn't fascist after all...

 

[Vegeta897]

Your last comment is just as sarcastic sounding as your first ones. And with good reason.

 

[Maestro]

It's so much fun to bash Australia.

 

[The Monkey]

Is that the same plonker who won't have an AO rating?

 

[Shyam]

Is that the same plonker who won't have an AO rating?

If it is, I can't believe this one guy is causing all these problems.

 

[The Monkey]

If it is, I can't believe this one guy is causing all these problems.

Howcome he isn't democratically accountable, if he holds this much power? Did someone forget to add the ability for politicians to fire the Attorney-General?

 

[CptStern]

OMG WTF Australia?!?!?!?
Fascist!
Communist!
Whats GOING on DOWN there?
GET out while YOU CAN, THe US still has ROOM!


http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/atkinson-to-repeal-internet-law-20100203-nbmt.html
Oh, crisis over people, I guess Australia isn't fascist after all...

just another example of Hl2.net outrage changing society for the better. you really should thank us for saving Australia from the oppressive heel of FASCISM. But our work isnt done. Be vigilent citizen as FASCISTS are always lying in wait, biding their time for the right opportunity to goose step their way into power. Not too worry; should FASCISM ever rear it's ugly head down undah, we will be sure to mobalize the HL2.net Freedom Brigade in defense of democracy!!!

HUP TWU FREE FOR HUP...

HUP TWU FREE FOR HUP

 

[Krynn72]

Holy shit thats the funniest post you've ever made Stern. Usually its just dry, predictable, old person jokes, but that one was gold. Pure gold.

 

[15357]

I'm not gonna bash Australia, because we have the same (kind of) law.






I'm gonna bash everyone else who doesn't have it.

 

[Maestro]

Silly numbers and your blind obedience to state law!

 

[Shyam]

I'm not gonna bash Australia, because we have the same (kind of) law.

But the Australians has sex with kangaroos.

 

[Naph]

But the Australians has sex with kangaroos.

:|

Coming from a sheep shagger.

 

[Shyam]

:|

Coming from a sheep shagger.

Hey now, what happens between a man and a sheep is their own business.

 

[unozero]

I'm not gonna bash Australia, because we have the same (kind of) law.






I'm gonna bash everyone else who doesn't have it.

Your such a mindless drone it's not funny I feel bad for you.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Do you have any idea how much I hate you people whenever someone makes one of these threads. ANY IDEA.

fascism is in fashion down under it seems ..

Retarded and unenforceable.

Wtf are you doing Australia???

Is Australia becomming communistic or something like that? Looks a lot like it :/

Australia, ****ing hell.

Oh for ****s sake what is happening to this country?

Oz has lost its mind. This is totalitarianism. Wtf is happening down under?

Dear Australia,

Fuck you very much.

Sincerely,

P. Nus

Hey thanks for you awesome and well-founded opinions, bros. Let's just take another quick peek at that article shall we?

South Australia's Attorney-General has defended tougher laws on political comment made on the internet.

GODDAMNIT AUSTRALIA wait a minute Attorney-what?

South Australia's Attorney-General

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=South+Australia's+Attorney-General

Hang on a mo, Michael Atkinson? Why does that name sound familiar OH YEAH.

Atkinson has blocked attempts to introduce a R18+ for video games in Australia.

OH HAHA THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.

Good thing I didn't jump to conclusions about the country as a whole or condemn it's entire government for the actions of one cranky old f*ck, right?

Seriously, can you imagine the shitstorm if Stern had replaced "Jack Thompson" with "America" in all his old threads? Not cool.

 

[Vegeta897]

Seriously, can you imagine the shitstorm if Stern had replaced "Jack Thompson" with "America" in all his old threads? Not cool.

He basically did that.

Stern would inevitably make a comment about america in any kind of story that was related to someone in america doing something stupid.

 

[Shyam]

Seriously, can you imagine the shitstorm if Stern had replaced "Jack Thompson" with "America" in all his old threads? Not cool.

But doesn't Stern already talk shit about U.S. anyway ?

 

[Bad^Hat]

Not quite the same as equating the actions of one man to those of an entire country. I'm pretty sure his sentiment was "only in America" as opposed to "AMERICA is impeding the rights of gamers everywhere in AMERICA what is becoming of AMERICA god fascists."

 

[V-Man339]

Yeah, uh, this one guy really is ruining the country as far as technological and internet based progress goes, so I think it's safe to say that the country can be judged by him to some extent, at least in the aforementioned category.

 

[The Monkey]

GODDAMNIT AUSTRALIA wait a minute Attorney-what?


http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=South+Australia's+Attorney-General

Hang on a mo, Michael Atkinson? Why does that name sound familiar OH YEAH.


OH HAHA THAT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING.

Good thing I didn't jump to conclusions about the country as a whole or condemn it's entire government for the actions of one cranky old f*ck, right?

Seriously, can you imagine the shitstorm if Stern had replaced "Jack Thompson" with "America" in all his old threads? Not cool.

The difference of course being that this old fart possesses real power, and no seems able or willing to put him out of office.

 

[Naph]

The difference of course being that this old fart possesses real power, and no seems able or willing to put him out of office.

There was a group running for his spot in his reelection soon.


Edit:
http://www.fiveaa.com.au/Audio_Attorney-General-backs-down-on-Internet-censorship-laws_95890

I don't see what all the fuss is about with this. I mean, this person obviously is no longer fit for the job and literally fearing that the government will need him to step out. This is the same person who is doing the R18+ biz, we might get a nice, easier going, attorney general like our Board of Classification.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/victory-atkinson-loosens-gag/story-e6frea6u-1225826104175
Atkinson: 'I made the wrong decision'

Does that sound like something that should be held upon our Countries shoulders in the eyes of all the people commenting about how we're submitting ourselves to a fascism resigm.