Eric Abetz spits back at Nazi 'slur'

Yesterday Liberal Senator Eric Abetz spat back at media reports of his family's Nazi past.

One can sympathise with the senator, but as he was a past master of the political slur while in government that sympathy doesn't extend too far.

I'm sure we are all wondering how the World Zionist Organisation now feels, as it hosted the senator on a tour of Israel in 1982.

 

Senator Conroy still following Howard Government's old ISP lead

With a much smaller than expected take-up of the former Howard Government's free home PC filter software (probably because it also randomly blocked legitimate sites and slowed download speed), Federal Labor Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, is now ploughing ahead with his plan to impose a national filter at ISP level.

 

He has been repeatedly told by industry experts that a filter of this type will not stop inappropriate material coming via social networking sites, chat rooms and instant messaging.

That the technology doesn't exist yet which could successfully filter these sites.

 

Even the former Liberal Communications and IT Minister was forced to admit to these difficuties.

"At its best, mandatory filtering by internet service providers was an expensive and ineffective way to limit children's access to online pornography, Senator Coonan told The Australian.

At its worst, mandatory ISP filtering was ineffective and seriously degraded the internet's performance, she said."

 

While one plaintive cry on the Web says it all about ISP filters:

"This host was good to me for the first half, but during the last few months, i've been experiencing numerous problems.
Support, although responsive, could not fix my problems. Website constantly give me errors, they said it was due to my ISP's filters, etc... "

 

But Senator Conroy, with one eye on his first kindergarten teacher, is intent on ignoring all the danger signs and has granted the tender for a trial which is expected to take place in Tasmania.

Poor Tassie. First in was the guinea pig in Hockey's smart card experiment - now it gets the chance to be annoyed by the Labor Right's absurd paternalism.

 

It will be interesting to see if Enex Test Lab lives up to its own hype about being a first rate testing facility when it undertakes the evaluations of available filter programs.

 

And what of the ISP filter programs which will be run by servers if Conroy's plan comes to fruition - will we find US filters such as this from the Christian right being commonly used?

Oh, how embarassing, Ms. Gillard!

Latest CrimTrack online job advertisement.

 

Attorney-General	Employment Opportunity N.N. 10384541
CrimTrac	Closing date: Friday, 29 February 2008

Job Title:	Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Support
Job Type:	Ongoing, Full-time
Location:	Canberra | ACT
Classification:	Senior Executive Band 1
Agency Website:	http://www.crimtrac.gov.au/

Job Description

Duties
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Support is a key member of the CrimTrac Executive and plays an integral part in shaping and implementing the strategic directions and focus for the Agency and in directing the achievement of its outcomes. The role provides advice and expertise with particular emphasis on corporate functions, finance, information technology and governance of the agency and its projects. The position also provides high quality strategic and operational advice to the CEO, the Minister and the CrimTrac Board of Management. 
Eligibility
The successful applicant will be required to undergo a Commonwealth Security Clearance. 
Notes
Total remuneration around $220,000 pa (to be negotiated through an AWA including salary, employer superannuation, executive vehicle, parking and performance pay) [my emphasis]

To Apply

Selection Documentation:	the CrimTrac website or phone, 02 6245 7755
Position Contact:	Peter Bickerton, 02 6245 7660
Apply:	SES Recruitment The CrimTrac Agency GPO Box 1573 CANBERRA ACT Australia 2601, SESRecruitment@crimtrac.gov.au
Agency Recruitment Site:	http://www.crimtrac.gov.au/recruitment.html

Applicants to employment opportunities notified in all formats of the electronic APS Employment Gazette should be aware that the names of successful applicants will also be notified in all formats of the electronic APS Employment Gazette. 

Now viewing Notice 1 of 1

This notice is part of the electronic APS employment Gazette PS05 - 07 Feb 2008 Published by Australian Public Service Commission.

In Rudd's Australia all human rights are equal, but some are more equal than others

Australia's Attorney General, Robert McClelland recently announced that the Federal Government will be signing the UN's Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

There is also a possibility that prohibitions against torture will be included in the Commonwealth Criminal Code.

 

I have to say I'm pleased with this announcement, but a little puzzled about why some human rights appear to be more important than others in the eyes of Rudders and Co.

 

Australia signed up to the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination which has been in force since 1969.

Yet here we are breaking our commitment to this convention every day the Rudd Government allows Howard's NT Intervention legislation and regulations to stand.

Definitely an Animal Farm moment dragging uncomfortably on.