Two different examples of the Howard government's religious right wing
agenda in one day.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/End-of-paypervview/2005/04/06/1112489501557.html
******
End of pay-perv-view
By Paul Kalina
April 7, 2005
It started with a question from anti-porn crusader and retiring independent
Senator Brian Harradine. It ended with a range of porn channels ceasing
transmission and a salient message for anyone hoping to broadcast, market,
or
for that matter access, hardcore adult content via their satellite
receivers.
Following queries including questions from Senator Harradine to a Senate
Estimates Committee, the Australian Broadcasting Authority began an
investigation in March last year into satellite services Sexz.TV, FreeXTV
and
Backroom that were broadcasting porn into Australia from overseas.
The services were provided by companies based in Luxembourg and Vanuatu.
Before closing down last year, they operated around the clock and cost as
little as $4 a week - roughly the same as the Adults Only channel broadcast
on
Foxtel, which screens less explicit content late at night. Backroom was
targeted at gay male audiences.
The satellite equipment necessary to receive the channels is readily
available
in Australia. According to the ABA investigation, the smart cards required
to
decrypt the signals were available for purchase on the internet and were
directly marketed in Australia. FreeXTV smart cards were sold by a limited
number of Australian satellite installers, adult shops in Victoria and on
one
occasion were advertised in the personal section of the Sunday Times in
Western
Australia. A 12-month subscription to FreeXTV cost $199. A Sexz.TV smart
card
cost $250 for a 12-month subscription. AdvertisementAdvertisement
The ABA says it has evidence that the material shown on these channels would
be
classified X or refused classification were the regular censorship
guidelines
applied. "The ABA is not aware of R material being broadcast on FreeXTV but
believe that such material is likely to be limited," the report reads.
Consequently, the ABA found that FreeXTV, Sexz.TV and Backroom breached a
condition of its subscription narrowcasting television licence by
broadcasting
material that would likely be rated X.
When word of these channels broke in the media last year, a Perth-based
distributor of smart cards told The Sydney Morning Herald the services were
legal as "it was not covered by any Australian laws".
The authority evidently disagreed. "The origin of the programming in another
country, and its transmission via satellite from overseas, does not take a
broadcasting service outside the operation of the (Broadcasting Services)
Act",
the report concludes.
******
http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,12782498%5E15318%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html
******
Govt oversteps on net ban: Nitschke
Paul Osborne in Canberra
APRIL 07, 2005
FEDERAL parliament is going beyond its legal powers in its bid to ban
suicide-related material on the internet, voluntary euthanasia activist
Philip
Nitschke said.
The Senate's legal and constitutional legislation committee is examining a
new
law making it a crime to access or transmit suicide-related material on the
internet.
It will be an offence to access, transmit, or make available on the internet
material that counsels or incites suicide, and an offence to posses,
produce,
or supply material with the intent of making it available on the internet.
The inquiry is due to report on May 10, when the laws are expected to be
debated in parliament.
Dr Nitschke, from voluntary euthanasia group Exit International, told the
committee in a written submission the proposed law would seriously affect
the
health and well-being of older Australians and breached the constitution.
"The legislation in its current form will exceed the authority and scope of
the
parliament of Australia," Dr Nitschke said.
He said the law would restrict the flow of information to many people
outside
of Australia's jurisdiction, because of the global nature of the internet.
This ran counter to the constitutional power given to the parliament "to
make
laws for the peace, order and good government of Australia".
"For example, the provision of specific information by email to an elderly
individual in New Zealand would be in breach of the proposed law," Dr
Nitschke
said.
"Such requests from overseas members of Exit are common."
He said it was important for all people to be well-informed about their
end-of-life options.
"It should be realised that the censoring of this type of information will
only
promote the shameful national statistic of death by hanging as the leading
means of suicide in this country," he said.
Civil rights lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia told the inquiry the
bill should be scrapped, as it was already a criminal offence to use the
internet to breach state or territory laws on aiding and abetting suicide.
But Graham Preston, from Right to Life, told the inquiry in a submission the
law was needed.
"There are frequent expressions of concern by the community about the rate
of
suicide in this country," Mr Preston said.
"To the extent that this bill may help protect at least some of those people
who are vulnerable to committing suicide we would urge that it be passed."
The Australian Christian Lobby said the $110,000 fine seemed light compared
with other state-based laws relating to incitement to suicide, which could
result in jail.
The group said the law should be extended to events, services and products
relating to suicide.
The Senate committee plans to hold a public hearing in Canberra on April 14.
******
--
Clayton The Lord Of The Eternally Changing Name
AA# 1861
EAC Executive Officer In Charge Of Squandering And Wasting Valuable
Resources
"Religion is like horse laxative....if you swallow it, you'll be left
feeling empty and have a huge pile of ***** to deal with!" - Clayton
.
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