Media Release

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc.

Media Release                                        28 April 1999

EFA WELCOMES COMMUNITY, INDUSTRY, POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO NET CENSORSHIP BILL

Electronic Frontiers Australia today welcomed extensive community,
industry, and political support for its campaign against Internet
censorship legislation.

"We particularly welcome statements in the Senate by the Labor Party,
the Australian Democrats, and the Greens which show that they have not
been hoodwinked by the emotive rhetoric accompanying the Bill", said
EFA Executive Director Darce Cassidy.

"The Government's Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill
1999 will fail to prevent access by children to unsuitable material,
but by placing unnecessary burdens on access and content providers it
will cripple the development of Australia's online economy."

"Taking advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Internet ought
to be one of the highest priorities for any government, and for any
Parliament.  The growing opposition to this Bill is therefore great news
for all Australians."

The Bill, expected to be debated in the Senate next month, will create
a complex complaints-based regime administered by the Australian
Broadcasting Authority, under which material legal in other media will
be prohibited online.  ISPs will be compelled to build and administer
the infrastructure for blocking this material from overseas.

"Electronic Frontiers Australia is encouraged by the opposition to these
proposals from the Internet industry, which is standing its ground.
Particularly welcoming are statements from Ozemail, Cisco, and the
CSIRO", Mr Cassidy said.

"As newspaper reports and polls have repeatedly demonstrated, the
extension of censorship has little support at all among Australians,
and particularly among younger Australians.  With the wired generation,
unsubtle attempts by middle-aged senators to control what adults can
and can not view do not go down well."

"Statements by Senators Kate Lundy, Natasha Stott-Despoja, and Bob
Brown were particularly welcome.  They have shown an understanding of
the Internet lacking in all too many other politicians." 

[ENDS]

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

      Kim Heitman                           Darce Cassidy
      Phone: 08 9458 2790                   Phone: 08 8362 5183
      kheitman@it.com.au                    Darce.Cassidy@efa.org.au
      --------------------------------------------------------------

BACKGROUND

NineMSN Sunday Poll on television censorship.
	http://www.sunday.ninemsn.com.au/

	Of most concern to Australians (results as of 27/4/99):
	 Sex and nudity on television: 3 %
	 Violence on television: 11%
	 Senators telling them what they can watch: 86%

CSIRO statement on blocking
	http://www.csiro.au/news/mediarel/mr1999/mr9975.html

	Blocking access to certain Internet material by Internet
	service providers or 'backbone' providers will be
	largely ineffective, a recent CSIRO report has concluded.

83% of Australians support the legality of X-rated material
	http://www.theage.com.au:80/news/970425/nsp3.txt.htm	

Details of some of the organisations and groups opposing the Bill are at
	http://www.efa.org.au/99.html

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