

Australian government considers blocking porn and gambling sites - echair
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/10/27/1224955916155.html

======
hugh
A quick note for readers who aren't familiar with the ins and outs of
Australian politics: the two senators named here as supporting these measures
(Xenophon and Fielding) aren't part of any major party, and certainly not part
of the "Government" as we usually use the term.

The way that senators are elected in Australia allows for people to
occasionally get elected with a tiny percentage of the actual vote, usually by
having a nice-sounding party name like "Family First" or "No Pokies" (the
latter of which refers to poker machines in bars, which are a bit of an
annoyance). Unfortunately the way the balance of power in the Senate usually
works out, the government has to rely on the support of the minor parties in
order to pass legislation.

The headline is thus somewhat inaccurate -- I would never defend what the
Australian government is trying to do to the internet, but the _actual_
government isn't considering these measures on its own initiative, although
they may be considering adding them in order to appease the minor parties.

I'm very depressed that both my home country (Australia) and my adopted
country (the USA) are both seem to be taking steps away from liberty and
towards statism simultaneously.

