You need to love the irony of politicians – who let’s face it mislead for a residing – desirous to ram by new ‘misinformation legal guidelines’ that will not apply to them however do apply to the typical Australian.
Whereas the political class can proceed to talk freely, together with in parliament – excluded from the brand new legal guidelines – pedalling false narratives that go well with their functions every time they like, the remainder of society dangers being hauled earlier than a specifically convened star chamber to show their innocence when accused of spreading falsehoods.
The ‘one rule for us, one other rule for the remainder of you’ nature of this newly proposed Labor legislation does not finish there.
The elite finish of the nation are additionally given particular exceptions from this free speech-limiting laws.
Lecturers and artists can say issues which you won’t be allowed to reply to below the proposed legislation.
They might take intention at one thing you’ve got mentioned or completed and your proper of reply could be restricted by legislation, forcing you to sit down in silence as they dismantle you or a problem near your coronary heart.
It’s a surprising case of stifling the dissent of the lots whereas defending the elites.
Ordinarily I’d contemplate placing this badly drafted laws’s perverse outcomes right down to the properly trodden ‘legislation of unintended penalties’.
Anthony Albanese’s authorities is proposing a brand new ‘misinformation’ legislation
Human rights teams are frightened the proposed laws might clamp down on free speech (a protester is pictured in Sydney in November, 2021)
In different phrases, good intentions that typically result in dangerous outcomes by mistake.
Besides that this laws is a wolf in sheep’s clothes. There’s nothing unintended within the outcomes it would result in. I consider the design of those proposed legal guidelines is deliberate.
This Labor authorities desires to stifle the free speech of the lots, as a result of it neither respects nor tolerates the opinions of the mainstream.
The identical approach the Prime Minister appeared down on any Australian who opposed his Voice to Parliament, for instance. Advocates throughout that debate repeatedly accused opponents of being guided by racism quite than fair-minded issues in regards to the drafting of what was being proposed.
These new misinformation legal guidelines are nothing in need of an try to stop common voters expressing opinions which may problem the woke institution view, or tackle the more and more stifling nature of political correctness on this nation.
Australia has little by means of free speech protections already. An implied political freedom of speech in constitutional interpretation, however no invoice of rights enshrining the precept.
But right here we’re, bearing witness to a authorities searching for to additional curtail free speech proactively by way of new legal guidelines that may be subjectively utilized to some however not others.
No surprise the opposition opposes it and civil liberties advocates are elevating the alarm.
Including to the dysfunction, this authorities is in an pointless rush to legislate the brand new legal guidelines, demanding they’re handed by the parliament this facet of the brand new 12 months.
What’s the urgency? Is it a coincidence they face re-election quickly after? Will these legal guidelines assist Labor shut down commentary important of its efficiency?
These are honest, as but, unanswered questions.
No person desires to see hate speech or abusive rhetoric permeate on-line, a lot much less when it is usually defamatory in nature.
So in precept there’s nothing flawed with trying so as to add to present legal guidelines stopping such behaviour.
Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland would have sweeping powers below the proposed legal guidelines
Nevertheless, this proposed legislation goes a lot additional than that.
It even provides the communications minister of the day extraordinary powers to personally order misinformation hearings or investigations.
It sounds extra like a plot line to a documentary on the Stasi regime in East Germany in the course of the Chilly Battle than a brand new algorithm Labor is significantly in assist of within the twenty first Century.
The most important downside with clamping down on political commentary that may be classed as misinformation is the extremely subjective nature of constructing such assessments.
Each the left and the appropriate typically declare their political opponents are spreading lies. Fancy giving a minister the facility to endlessly probe their opponents below the safety of such a brand new legislation.
The film 1984 may be an oldie however its relevance is on the rise when the political class seeks to curtail rights in the way in which this new legislation is designed to do.
We subsequently finish the place we began: The irony of any politician who twists and contorts the info for a residing to counsel new ‘misinformation legal guidelines’ that apply to the remainder of us however to not them is hypocrisy on stilts.
Nevertheless, the acute lack of self consciousness when doing so signifies that Labor will not even realise how hypocritical they’re in arguing for this new legislation.
