[plug] [Fwd: [STOP] Pt1/2 - Action Alert - Contact your MP - Oppose Net Censorship]

[Oliver White]

Michael Baker wrote:

> ========================================================================
>
>                             EFA ACTION ALERT
>
>  CONTACT YOUR MP & SENATORS TO EXPRESS YOUR OPPOSITION TO NET CENSORSHIP
>
>  THE SENATE HAS VOTED TO CENSOR THE NET IN AUSTRALIA.  THE HOUSE OF REPS
>  IS LIKELY TO VOTE ON THE LEGISLATION IN THE SITTING COMMENCING 21 JUNE.
>
>           PLEASE REDISTRIBUTE THIS ALERT IN APPROPRIATE PLACES
>                        BUT NOT AFTER 25 JUNE 1999
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This alert (with links): http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/alert9902.html
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> CONTENTS
>   Summary
>   Background
>   What You Can Do
>   Brief Analysis Of The Bill
>   Further Information
>   About EFA
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> SUMMARY
>
> Please make personal contact URGENTLY with your Member of Parliament and
> Coalition Senators and let them know that you are opposed to the
> Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill 1999.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> BACKGROUND
>
> Last month the Senate passed a Bill that will introduce draconian
> measures to block information on the Internet that is rated R18+
> (unsuitable for children), X (non-violent erotica) or RC according to
> Australian film and video classification standards (see below).  The
> Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) will administer this regime.
>
> The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Bill in the
> sitting commencing Monday 21 June.  It will automatically become law if
> passed unamended by the House.
>
> The legislation, if enacted, will require that online service providers
> take responsibility to remove content that is hosted in Australia that
> is RC, or X, and any R-rated material not behind an adult verification
> scheme, from the Internet once they have been notified of its existence
> by the ABA.  The regime also provides for self-regulatory codes of
> practice for the online service provider industry, to be overseen by the
> ABA.  These codes of practice must include a commitment by an online
> service provider to take all reasonable steps to block access to RC and
> X-rated content hosted overseas, once the service provider has been
> notified of the existence of the material by the ABA. Many millions of
> websites are likely to be blocked if the proposals are effectively
> implemented.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> WHAT YOU CAN DO
>
> To assist this campaign please contact your MP, and *Liberal and
> National Party* Senators if any, with the first priority being to
> contact your MP.
>
> MP's will be back in their electorates during the week commencing 14th
> June.  The current week commencing 7th June is a good time to ring the
> electorate office and try to make an appointment.
>
> * General Points
>   - Raise some or all of the points from "Brief Analysis of the Bill"
>     below, plus any concerns of your own.  Put them in your own words.
>   - If you have particular personal concerns, or concerns that affect
>     your electorate (e.g. the effects on small regional ISPs if you are
>     in a rural electorate) emphasise those.
>   - Stress the damage that the Bill will do to the information economy
>     in Australia, and how will it will impede us becoming 'the clever
>     country'.
>   - Requests for action (with a Coalition MP or Senator): ask them to
>     raise the matter in the party room; if they seem supportive, suggest
>     it is important enough an issue to amend the Bill in the House of
>     Reps, or to cross the floor.
>   - Requests for action (with other MPs and Senators): ask them to get
>     their party to pledge to repeal the legislation.
>
> * Face to face meetings.
>   - Call today and ask for a meeting before 21 June.
>   - EFA has prepared a "Questions and Answers" document that can be
>     taken to a meeting with your MP.  This will be available from
>     Tuesday 8th June at:
>     http://www.efa.org.au/Publish/BSAfaq.html
>
> * Writing a Letter
>   - Keep letters short and preferably handwritten.
>   - The form of address for Senators who are Ministers is: "Senator The
>     Hon (firstname surname)".  For Members of the House of
>     Representatives who are Ministers: "The Hon (firstname surname)".
>     For non Ministers - check the correct form of address at
>     http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mplist.htm
>
>     and
>     http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/senators/sen_list.htm
>
>     For those not entitled to be addressed as "The Hon", Senators can be
>     addressed as "Senator (firstname surname)", MPs as "Mr, Ms, Dr etc
>     (firstname surname), MP", or in the form: "(firstname surname), MP".
>   - Letters to MPs in Canberra should be addressed to:
>     The House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
>   - Letters to Senators in Canberra should be addressed to:
>     The Senate, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
>
> * Phone Calls
>   - Ask to speak to someone about the Broadcasting Services Amendment
>     (Online Services) Bill 1999.
>   - You will probably get to talk to a staffer.
>   - If they try to fob you off by telling you to talk to Alston's
>     office, tell them that he isn't responding to your concerns.
>   - Be polite.
>
> * Effectiveness
>   - The effectiveness of means of contact from most effective to least
>     effective are:
>
>     face to face meeting
>     letter
>     phone call
>     fax
>     email
>
>     Email is by far the least effective method and should be avoided.
>
> * Project 1984
>   - To protest against the new censorship bill, copies of the Orwell
>     classic "1984" are being sent to all Federal Members of Parliament
>     this week with a covering letter.
>   - EFA supports this worthy project, which is being organised by Mark
>     Reynolds.
>   - It costs only $15 to send a copy to your nominated MP and your name
>     will be acknowledged unless you prefer anonymity.
>   - Please give your support, but act quickly.
>   - Overseas readers can also help by contributing to this project.
>   - Details at:
>     http://www.rts.com.au/1984/
>
> * Feedback
>   - Please send a brief email advising of the response you receive to:
>
>     <feedback at efa.org.au>
>
>     The feedback you provide will help EFA to further refine the Stop
>     Campaign.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [Continues in Pt2/2 - Action Alert - Contact your MP - Oppose Net Censorship]

--
Oliver White


-------------- next part --------------
An embedded message was scrubbed...
From: Michael Baker <mbaker at pobox.com>
Subject: [STOP] Pt1/2 - Action Alert - Contact your MP - Oppose Net Censorship
Date: Tue, 08 Jun 1999 02:46:16 +1100
Size: 7920
URL: <http://lists.plug.org.au/pipermail/plug/attachments/19990608/c4477689/attachment.mht>