Banning From The Bottom Up

EoR hopes Stephen Conroy, or the Liberals, or the not-a-coalition of independents, gets their act together and institutes the long needed Great Firewall of Australia so he doesn't have to put up with the filth that infests the interwebs. Such as Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean. An award winning book about the tutelage of Alexander by Aristotle, the book features a willfully and flagrantly exposed buttock on its cover, leading to one right-minded company banning the book.

“Because we’re obviously a ‘family show’ and we’ve got children in our gift shops, we had suggested we could carry the book if there’s what’s called a ‘belly band’ wrap around the photo.”

Because, of course, children have never seen a bottom, have no idea what a bottom is, and would be horribly psychologically scarred if they happened to see one.

Personally, EoR is more concerned about donkeys of a sensitive nature (like himself) encountering that naked horse bottom on the book cover...

"How many times have I told you that homosexuality is only to be used for revolutionary purposes?"

The film LA Zombie ('an erotic gay satire') has not been banned in Australia, but 'refused exemption'. One means the film cannot be shown in Australia. The other, um, means the film cannot be shown in Australia (it's a subtle difference). Not even at a film festival where only adults would see it. Now a film depicting 'wound shagging' and ejaculating blood may not be to your taste, but if you go to a film festival to see a Bruce LaBruce film, EoR concurs with Julie Rigg that you'd have a pretty good idea what sort of film you're about to see. If anything, it sounds just as much postmodernist as pornographic. Furthermore, if the film hadn't been refused exemption EoR, and countless others, would never have heard of it.

Meanwhile, a submission to an Australian Senate Committee reviewing the proposed internet filter has had a link to a YouTube video censored even though the video can be legally purchased in Australia, and even though the internet filter is only supposed to deny access to material that is not legal in Australia. They also censored a link to the Amazon.com page for Ken Park (as if no one would ever be able to find the film at Amazon otherwise).

As to just which material you can legally own in Australia, some Australians are more equal than others (particularly if you're Aboriginal):

"It is lawful for Australian citizens to possess, own, read or view, give away and purchase RC (Refused Classification) content in all forms, except in Western Australia (which has a state law which criminalises possession of RC content) and parts of Western Australia and the Northern Territory associated with the Aboriginal Intervention (where possession of content rated higher than MA 15+ is an offence)."

As if this is not silly enough, the Government is proposing that ISPs retain the web browsing history and emails of all users. A consultation paper on this matter that has been released under FOI has had around 90% of it censored. A legal officer from the Attorney-General's Department explains why:

"I consider that release of such documents may lead to premature unnecessary debate and could potentially prejudice and impede government decision making."

You wouldn't want any premature discussion of a major data retention initiative. Just look at how much furore discussion of the internet filter has released.

EoR thinks it is about time for the Revolution:

"The Revolution is my boyfriend!"