You can censor the Internet Mr. Rudd, but you can't interfer with our votes at the next election

First Rudd's Labor team quietly snuck its telecommunications policy onto the Web at almost the last minute before Australia went to the polls in the 2007.
Now as the country gears up for Christmas the Rudd Government releases the much delayed Enex Test Lab Internet Service Provider (ISP) Content Filtering Pilot Report (I see Senator Conroy received it in October) while simultaneously announcing that it intends to introduce mandatory national ISP-level filtering when federal parliament resumes next year.
Well, Mr. Rudd, your government has finally crossed that line in the sand and lost all hope of getting our votes in 2010 or 2011. We'd rather waste our votes on an independent (and exhaust ballot preferences before they reach any of the major parties) than vote for your sorry excuse for a government.
There have been so many betrayals; public health and dental services still abysmal, bad laws stomping on our human rights still on the books, no protection of whales in the Antarctic, p*ss poor environmental record on the land, a pathetic failed attempt at an ETS, no reduction in national greenhouse gas levels (in fact an increase), aboriginal remote community living conditions still disgraceful, gays still unable to legally marry - the list gets longer and longer.
We don't believe Stephen Conroy when he says that the URL blacklist process will be transparent (obviously an oxymoron - a transparent secret list) and we think you all lie when promises are made that only RC classification sites will be blocked in light of the fact that the old ACMA and Classification Board assessment policies will remain and these can even see a school tuckshop banned.
Talk about a poxy policy!

Bill 'n' Ben
Northern Rivers

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.