Greens to block net filter in election lead up

This proposed Net filter is an appalling threat to civil liberties and everyone knows it except Stephen Conroy and the Christian right who think they know best for everyone. The Government should instead focus on education and providing effective filtering tools for individuals.

The Government is trying to sell it to us under the guise of blocking child pornography.. but those guys don't share stuff like over the web as it's all logged and can be traced and used as evidence already. They share usb keys and use encrypted transfees etc and the filtering would stop NONE of that traffic at all.

Stephen Conroy seems desperate to get his name in the history books any way he can and he doesn't seem to care if it's as a hero or a tyrant.

You would be very hard pressed to find any IT professional group that approves of the filtering idea. In fact most have been vocal about their disapproval of it.

1. It doesn't do (and simply cannot do) what they are selling it to do. (block child porn)
2. It does do stuff that we don't want it to do. (like mistakenly block legit sites and slow the internet down.)
3. Anyone who wants to will be able to get around it very quickly just by googling about it.

The NBN is not a "bold initiative" its a vast waste of money. Another labour government plunging us into debt at a rate that can only be marvelled at. Sure lots of people want it. but it would occur naturally anyway. I agree the non metropolitan areas need vastly superior coverage. Break telstra into wholesale/retail and then let competitive forces take the lead. As it is Telstra frustrates all competition and the rural areas lose.

DC

> I am annoyed that the opposition has done nothing to try and stop this ridiculous filter. What choice do we have at this election? Either the center right party, or... the other center right party.

Maybe you haven't read, but in 2001 and again in 2007, the Howard government announced that it would create its own internet filter.

Perhaps if enough people vote for the Greens or another minority we can send Labor and the Coalition a clear message.

Ailie You do realise a vote for the greens is actually a vote for labour...

@ Michael and Jay - that's not correct. Greens don't always preference Labor. They split it last time, half Lib half Lab, so essentially no-one gets them. That only applies when you vote above the line, and let the politician select where your preferences go. Make an effort and vote below the line.

I'm glad you think you're soooooo much smarter than the rest of the country.

If you don't agree with voting, or voting for either party, get off your rear end and onto the street. Make your voice heard. Don't pith about on forums preaching to the choir.

I will vote for any party that holds a strictly no mandatory internet filtering policy.

Voting for the greens below the line will ensure that Labor doesn't benefit from any preference deals with your vote.

Voting below the line guarantees Labour does not receive your preference.
I intend to put them last underneath Family First and Fred Nile's Christian Democrats.
My number one and two will be The Australian Sex Party -As their policy's directly target the filter and censorship in general- and the Greens - Scott Ludlam will not allow the filter to go through, without making it opt-in.

@ 10 and 11:

You guys seriously think that most voters go below the line?

Maybe people that actually care, but you will find most votes, especially the sterotypical apathetic green voters, will just tick the happy fluffy go lucky greenie environment "freedom" box with no other thoughts.