[ Electronic Frontiers Australia ]

Media Release
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Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. 


Media Release                                        April 20th 1999

Senator Alston - Naive or Stupid?

"Senator Richard Alston's recent Media Release, 'Alston concerned by
threats to Internet protections' shows that he must be either naive or
stupid", the Executive Director of Electronic Frontiers Australia, Darce
Cassidy, said today.

Paedophilia and drug-dealing are already illegal and the government's
proposals will have no effect at all on such criminal activities, since
the minister has repeatedly said that private communications will not
be subject to regulation.

"The minister's attempt to smear serious critics as supporters of crime
demonstrates his inability or unwillingness to respond to concrete
criticism -- and makes a mockery of his claim to be seeking informed
debate", Mr Cassidy suggested.

"The minister proposes that the Internet be censored the same way as
cinema, television, or videos, even though it is a completely different
kind of medium.  There are a handful of television stations and cinema
chains in Australia, but there may be a million Australians with their
own web sites."

"The Internet industry, here and world-wide, has already made a decision
about the technical and commercial feasibility of mid-stream access
filtering - it won't work and isn't practical.  The CSIRO, in a report
commissioned by the government, has confirmed this view.  No Western
democracy implements the kind of scheme that is being proposed for
Australia."

[ENDS]

      --------------------------------------------------------------
      Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc  --  http://www.efa.org.au/
      representing Internet users concerned with on-line freedoms
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      Media Contacts:

      Kim Heitman                           Darce Cassidy
      Phone: 08 9458 2790                   Phone: 08 8362 5183
      [email protected]                    [email protected]
      --------------------------------------------------------------

BACKGROUND

Alston's latest Media Release:
	http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=3756

The government proposals:
	http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-text/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=3648

EFA's response:
	http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/PR990319.html

The CSIRO Report:
	http://www.cmis.csiro.au/projects+sectors/blocking.pdf
	http://www.tdce.com.au/~terry/reports/blocking/

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