Australian Government tries to Statutorily Enshrine a Ministry of Truth

As a human rights lawyer, and as a keen historian, freedom of speech and freedom of expression are important to me.

The Albanese Government has proposed new legislation that would grant the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) unprecedented unilateral control over the dissemination of information online; with civil and criminal penalties for dissenters.

This is one of the most Orwellian Bills I have seen in a while and we should all be aware of it.

In the below video I step through some of the most disturbing aspects of the Bill.

If, like me, you think this Bill is an dangerous and inappropriate abrogation of a fundamental human right; you can let the Ministry of Truth know by making a submission here, by 6 August 2023: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/new-acma-powers-combat-misinformation-and-disinformation

You can also write to your representative and let them know this is not ok.

I will be making a submission on behalf of my law firm, as well as writing to the Australian Human Rights Commission who have a statutory duty to resist the passing of legislation that curtails or threatens to curtail any of the rights contained in the ICCPR, such as the right to freedom of expression.

If we don't resist this now, the online space in Australia will become totally restricted to those ideas approved and endorsed by Government. You will only be allowed to access what you're allowed to access, and you will only be allowed to broadcast what you're allowed to broadcast.

It will be the death of any remaining notion that the internet is a free marketplace of ideas.

It will, in other words, render the internet absolutely useless and devoid of its original intent, and signal the final death knell for digital platforms as a useful tool for learning and sharing.

Please excuse the errors in the automatic subtitles.