In 2013, Labor tried to regulate the media in order to stop News Corp journalists fiercely criticising its poor performance.
Years later, the newly elected Albanese Government plainly considered this to be unfinished business. So in their first term it also tried to pass a ‘misinformation bill‘ which would have allowed it to exert control over online social media platforms and websites which aggregate content from publishing or permitting content that the government considers to be misleading and harmful.
The bill was dropped over the weekend only because it was not going to pass the Senate.
The ‘misinformation bill’
The bill would have empowered the Albanese Government via ACMA to:
→ impose ‘misinformation codes’ on digital platforms
→ enforce such ‘misinformation codes’ on digital platforms through various civil penalty provisions
→ require information and documents from digital platform providers
→ obtain information and documents from other persons.
The bill also trampled on traditional rights such as the right against self-incrimination.
In short, it was proposed legislation that would have been anti-free speech and anti-freedom.
Traitors to the nation
Every Labor MP supported voted for this Censorship Bill. The following is a List of Parliamentarians who supported it:
Government controlling public discourse
As Claire Lehmann, founding editor of Quillette noted, the bill sought to control public discourse.
The Australian Senate on this occasion did its job by rejecting bad proposed law. In the words of Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, “This shabby, decrepit, blanket over democracy is not even going to make it to the Vinnies bin this one, it’s going straight to the tip where it will be burnt”.
The lesson for Australians is that Labor is anti-free speech. Labor believe that they know better and that you have no right to strongly criticise them. This bill would have allowed Labor to spread misinformation and disinformation, and undermined your ability to call them out for it.
In fact, you would likely have been stopped from acknowledging basic biological realities, which would risk being labelled ‘misinformation’.
This is a win for truth and freedom.
Author adminPosted on Categories Democracy, Liberty