As the Western world barrels headlong into a New Dark Age of authoritarianism, Australia has taken the next step on the Orwellian slippery slope. The Albanese Labor government is trying to restrict the free speech of Australians more than ever before.
The Gillard Labor government tried to take control of information by means of a media regulator. Having failed at one attempt, it’s trying another: a push to establish its very own Ministry of Truth.
Under historic new legislation proposed by the government, digital platforms could face penalties of up to $6.88m for failing to address systemic disinformation and misinformation.
That’s right: the biggest liars on the face of the planet, the political class, have the barefaced cheek to try to pose as the guardians of truth.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said the proposed legislation was aimed at protecting Australians from the growing threat.
“Mis and disinformation sows division within the community, undermines trust, and can threaten public health and safety,” she said.
Would that be the sort of mis and disinformation like, “Two weeks to flatten the curve”? “Lockdowns save lives”? “Some women have penises”?
“The Albanese Government is committed to keeping Australians safe online, and that includes ensuring the ACMA has the powers it needs to hold digital platforms to account for mis and disinformation on their services.”
Well, that would be easy: just ban all government advertising campaigns.
The bill targets endemic misinformation and disinformation issues which pose a serious harm to Australians, and it would allow the ACMA to fight continued noncompliance from digital providers.
If platforms allow the spread of harmful lies and propaganda to continue, the regulator would be able to register enforceable industry codes with a maximum penalty of $2.75m or two per cent of a company’s global turnover (whichever is greater).
Yes, they’re really saying that, after the last three years of their own harmful lies and propaganda.
The proposed authority would not extend to the content of private messages sent online.
Not yet, anyway. Because, if history teaches us anything, it’s that the rapacity of inquisitors and censors is never satisfied.
Australians are being given barely a month to have their say on this dangerously authoritarian bill.
Public consultation on the draft bill will begin on Sunday and conclude on August 6, with the legislation to be introduced later this year.
“This consultation process gives industry and the public the opportunity to have their say on the proposed framework, which aims to strike the right balance between protection from harmful mis and disinformation online and freedom of speech,” Ms Rowland said.
The Australian
There is no such “balance”: there is only free speech, or un-free speech.
And there is no such thing as an honest government. If the Covid pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that the last people we can trust are politicians and public health bureaucrats.