Antipodean Authoritarian Antics Annihilated

Thanks to Anon in my previous post, we can witness again the awesome power of bloggers.

Check out this great story from South Australia. (Link embedded in the title).

Problem: bloggers saying stuff on the interweb.

Solution: fine them for daring to do so.

Look:

"The state of South Australia has a new election law that went into effect January 6, and its effect was shocking: anonymous political speech on the Internet was simply destroyed.

The law required anyone posting a political comment online during an election period to supply their real name and address or face a fine of up to AUS$1,250. The measure was grossly discriminatory—it applied only to bloggers and commenters, not to online "journals" (newspapers or magazine which are written by Real Journalists).

Politicians had apparently developed a thin skin to anonymous commentary, some of which no doubt did devolve into rank defamation, but Australia already has defamation laws that could be used against truly egregious material. Ending online anonymous speech was an extreme solution, one not appreciated by the targets of the law."

And please, let's give this bludger credit:

"The cries of the outraged citizenry have had an effect. While defending the new rules as recently as yesterday, Atkinson suddenly backed off from them today. He sent a statement to AdelaideNow, one remarkable for its candor.
"From the feedback we've received through AdelaideNow, the blogging generation believes that the law supported by all MPs and all political parties is unduly restrictive. I have listened. I will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively... It may be humiliating for me, but that's politics in a democracy and I'll take my lumps."

Can you imagine a British politician repealing a law that was blatant nonsense? Me neither.

The rest of it is good too. Pop down under and have a read.

Then remember why we terrify them so.

CR.