Labor’s Bob Brown-inspired push to “regulate” the media continues apace, with the release of the Finkelstein Review.
Under its recommendations, even blogs such this would be “regulated” by the government:
BLOGGERS and online student publications, such as one run by the University of Technology, Sydney, would be caught in the net of the proposed media regulator.
Souraya Ramadan, editor of student-run UTS website Reportage Online, said recommendations in the Finkelstein review calling for the regulation of news sites with more than 15,000 hits a year would place an unfair burden on small online publishers.
“We are a not-for-profit news site, which helps young journalists build their portfolios. We barely have any resources,” she said. “If implemented, this is going to penalise smaller news providers who don’t have the resources to be able to deal with the regulator.”
The Australian Labor Party has certainly “lost its way”.
They seem to have forgotten that one of their very own, Dr H.V. “Doc” Evatt, as Australia’s delegate to the United Nations, played a key role in drafting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
They seem to have forgotten that, as President of the United Nations General Assembly, Doc Evatt oversaw the adoption of the UDHR by the UN’s member countries – including Australia – in 1948.
Above all, modern Australian Labor (and Bob Brown) seem to have forgotten Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (emphasis added):
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Leading founder of the United Nations, co-drafter of the UDHR, High Court judge, lifelong ALP member, Attorney-General, Minister for External Affairs (Foreign Minister), and Labor opposition leader 1951-60 H.V. “Doc” Evatt will be turning in his grave.
The battlelines are drawn.
The fight for freedom of speech Down Under has begun.
Better a thousandfold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech.
– Charles Bradlaugh, founder of the National Secular Society
By placing discretion in the hands of an official to grant or deny a license, such a statute creates a threat of censorship that by its very existence chills free speech.
– Harry A. Blackmun, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, author of Roe vs Wade
Free speech is not to be regulated like diseased cattle and impure butter. The audience that hissed yesterday may applaud today, even for the same performance.
– William O. Douglas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.
– Salman Rushdie, winner of the Booker Prize, author of The Satanic Verses
It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.
– Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States
To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.
– Frederick Douglass, social reformer, leader of the abolitionist movement
Without free speech no search for truth is possible… no discovery of truth is useful.
– Charles Bradlaugh, founder of the National Secular Society
Know your enemy. And, I hope now that everybody understands that the Labour Party – as it always has done – stands for free speech and individual Members of the Labour Party are entitled to exercise that free speech.
– Ron Davies, Member of the Labour Party (UK), first minister to resign from Tony Blair’s government in 1998
UPDATE:
Some food for thought concerning Ray Finkelstein, the man chosen by Labor to oversee their “media inquiry” and produce their report –
Raymond Finkelstein QC, better known as The Fink will go down in history as one of the greatest fools to ever be appointed a judge, an absolute legend. This is a man who tried to hear his own case which was before the court. It does not get much worse than that.
Justice Finkelstein was eventually forced to stop hearing the case because not only did he have a financial interest in the case but he was in fact one of the parties to the class action against a company called Centro Properties via his own private super fund.
…
Raymond Finkelstein needs to stand down from hearing the media inquiry. At best, given the above, he is an idiot who does not know the law. At worst, a corrupt former judge who has been brought in to hand down pre-determined findings.
Barnaby Is Right 
God-dam Finkelstein shit kid.
Sorry, couldn’t resist. From Cheech & Chong, Up In Smoke, I think.
Love Cheech & Chong 😉
You know the thing that really busts me up about this – it entrenches the natural oligopoly nature of the Austrslian economy where regulations and licensing make it almost impossible for little guys to compete.
It just reinforces the power of the big guys because they have the money and resources to comply.
Another regulatory own goal if introduced
Frankenstein trying to suck the blood of our nation. “Without free speech no search for truth is possible” (Charles Bradlaugh) “Doc ” Evatt would turn in his grave and those who fought and died for freedom. It is a threat to, and breach of, the UN UDHR which “Doc” Evatt had a key role in its drafting and which was adopted by the UN. We cannot and must not allow this dictatorship to happen to Australia.
Blogs are an author’s platform, so this may impact negatively on arts development in this country too. I will definitely be caught if it goes ahead. Over 14,000 hits already this year. Yet I need my author’s platform for my memoir.
We should address the concentration of media ownership before hitting on bloggers.
What the government is seeking to do is the thin end of the wedge. As a starting point, I recommend all bloggers, tweeters etc doing as I have done – prominently display UN UDHR Article 19 on your site.
I can steal yours, I gather? 🙂
Mind you, let us not forget that there is a responsibility attached to that right and if the media do not act responsibly……. then something has to be done.
If Murdoch controls the media or the government control the media – it is “1984” either way.
This obsession with Murdoch press and the “shock jocks” has already gone too far.
I have long been afraid of what Conroy will stop at, as I fear it is a bridge too far:control what we can learn from the internet.
To muzzle the press and as this report says , virtually all the people, is but another plank in the extreme socialistic direction of this awful federal government.
They want to brainwash us, infest us with boat people on welfare, tax every extra cent those not on welfare might earn and I wonder if a middle range goal is to somehow prevent us from our democratic vote?
What do you mean exactly by “This obsession with Murdoch press and the “shock jocks” has already gone too far.”?
Please clarify.
If you don’t like what the Murdoch press has to say you don’t have to read or listen to it. For example, personally I find Andrew Bolt to be a scumbag & I don’t pay much attention to his ramblings but he does have a point regarding media censorship. Ray Hadley & Alan Jones are blowhards but I’d rather listen to them than what passes for music on a lot of radio stations.
When the government begins telling Murdoch & everyone else what to say… what happens then?
JMD – agree about Bolt – why he is paid a salary is beyond me.
The problem is Murdoch owns too much of our media. It is ALMOST but not quite a monopoly. A monopoly is not good because too much of our reporting these days is opinion, not fact. Do they still teach Clear Thinking in schools? Sometimes I wonder, as it seems the proletariat will believe anything on TV or printed. Not a good situation when the media owners have a political agenda.
I’m not supporting the government controlling the media – neither am I supporting any one figure – or small group of like-minded figures – controlling it either, for each is as bad as the other, just for different reasons.
Personally, I have no comment about the music on the radio – I listen to 104.3 driving to work and that is about it! 😆
The ownership of the media largely reflects that people will buy or watch or listen.
We exercise our choice,and who has the right to tell me I can’t listen to ray Hadley, or read Andrew Bolt? Either choice wouldn’t exist if it didn’t find an audience.
Murdoch press is actually servicing a need, and Fairfax is not–hence the discrepancy, but if you want to look at how many outlets each owns, Fairfax has more than Murdoch, why doesn’t it compete by opening papers in opposition?
Yes, the answer is clear, people won’t buy Fairfax any longer–that has to be due to its unashamed leftist barracking–and it is sinking every quarter–check its latest figures!
What do i mean about the ganging up on Murdock?
I direct you to Bob Brown’s “hate media” rant and the consequent arranging for yet another enquiry into media which has now been shown to want to regulate and stifle even web blogs, to suggest another authority and even “govt subsidy” for “better journalism”
We are not Nth Korea but that outcome would fit there quite well, and only a mad person /leftie would think the line”Fit and proper person” was anything other than way to try to prevent commentary adverse to the government through regulation by the mob that seems to be going to implement it.
Be careful what you wish for, as Abbott could use Labor’s laws to stifle the left’s ABC and Fairfax just as easily in the future.
We need to keep FREEDOM OF SPEECH– if you a re libelled, sue the bludger who did it, but don’t stop our basic right to free speech.
I AM being careful! I just don’t believe the idea is completely without merit, given the current scene.
By the way, I am a LP member. I just happen to believe in our party’s fundamental principles, not the Republican clones we seem to be morphing into.
Before getting carried away with article 19 one should read article 29.
It reminds me of Orwells’ “Animal Farm”. “All animals are equal – BUT- some are more equal than others.”