Quick Back Down From SA Attorney General

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Michael Atkinson has made a “humiliating” backdown and announced he will retrospectively repeal his law censoring internet comment on the state election.

After a furious reaction on AdelaideNow to The Advertiser’s exclusive report on the new laws, Mr Atkinson at 10pm released this statement: “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.”

Mr Atkinson said the law would not be enforced for comments posted on AdelaideNow during the upcoming election campaign, even though it was technically applicable.

“It may be humiliating for me, but that’s politics in a democracy and I’ll take my lumps,” he continued in the statement.

“This way, no one need fear now that they are being censored on the net or in blogs, whether they blog under their own name or anonymously. The law will be repealed retrospectively.

“I call upon all the other political parties who supported this review to also review their position.”

The rest of the article is here.

2 thoughts on “Quick Back Down From SA Attorney General

  • February 3, 2010 at 6:04 am
    Permalink

    Hi Kylie,
    Well, it appears that politicians have actually listened. 😀

    Have a great week,
    Blesssings,
    Jillian

    Reply
  • February 3, 2010 at 6:43 am
    Permalink

    I'm glad that they have, although I didn't see it causing much of a problem. The problem I see is that our politicians don't understand the nature of the Internet. This is stuff I've taught in BEGINNER computer classes for years. I hope they get some better instruction and advice in future. Sorry I shouldn't vent here, it's all in my first blog post about this. The other problem I see is the pollies not understanding that the proposed Internet filter won't achieve what they say it will.

    Reply

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