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by The Newspup

on Feb 3

Anonymous online political debate banned in SA

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South Australian Parliament has pushed through laws requiring all bloggers and contributors wanting to take part in political debate online to include their real name and post code.

Contributors and bloggers details will be kept for six months. Disobeying could cost infringers $5000. The law could have serious ramifications for social media personalities.

“This is an appalling infringement of Australians’ rights to free speech,” said CEO of the Newspaper Publishers’ Association, Mark Hollands. “A democracy champions individual freedoms so it is not clear what the South Australian Government is trying to achieve. To keep individuals’ details for six months seems unnecessary – what do they possibly want them for, for that period of time?”

In addition to concerns regarding social media platforms, Hollands said he was concerned about the restriction of freedoms in print, radio and television.

"There is no impinging on freedom of speech, people are free to say what they wish as themselves, not as somebody else," said South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson.

Coming into effect on March 20, the day election writs are issued, the law will lapse at 6pm on polling day. Atkinson confirmed there was no intention of extending the law beyond the election period.

"Clearly this is censorship being implemented by a government facing an election,” added Melvin Mansell, editor of Adelaide’s The Advertiser.

3 Comments

  • Wrote on 3 Feb, at 04:27PM
Michael Atkinson needs to move to China. He is not a popular person these days and has completely lost touch with reality and thinks he is running things here. his name crops up whenever there is something to do with sensorship. he is not in the right mind to be making these decisions.
  • Wrote on 3 Feb, at 05:23PM
If you won’t put your name to what you’re saying, don’t publish it on the internet. http://bit.ly/b51c6W
  • Wrote on 4 Feb, at 04:08AM
IS AUSTRALIA SAYING YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM IF YOU WANT TO EXPRESS YOURSELF ANONYMOUSLY? IF A ANONYMOUS CALLER HAD THE LOCATION OF A MISSING CHILD OR PERTINENT INFORMATION, WOULDEN'T YOU CHECK IT OUT? SOME PEOPLE DONT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED BUT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. OUR WORK SHOULD BE TO SPREAD FREEDOM NOT SUPPRESS IT. THAT SAID , IF THEY ARE TRULY SUBVERSIVES WHO HAVE BAD INTENTIONS TOWARDS THE COUNTRY, THEN THAT IS A DIFFERANT MATTER BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THERE OBJECTIVE IS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND COUNTRY AS YOU KNOW IT. I ALWAYS LOOKED AT IT THIS WAY, YOUR FOUNDERS GOT IT RIGHT , TO TRY TO OVERTHROW WHAT THEY STOOD FOR IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF ANY COUNTRY.THAT ASIDE, THE PEOPLE IN OFFICE WHO OVERSEE THOSE LAWS SHOULD BE FAIR GAME. IT'S OUR JOB TO QUESTION OUR LEADERS AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. GOD HAS TRULY BLESSED AUSTRAILIA AND ALL FREE COUNTRYS. WE SEE THE ALTERNATIVE ON THE NEWS EVERY DAY. JOE CAPRIO - WARWICK - RHODE ISLAND- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
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