EFA has obtained, under Freedom Of Information legislation, details of the Australian Broadcasting Authority s censorship processes . The processes are flawed technically, and inconsistency has flourished under a dob-in regime. EFA has submitted a detailed criticism of the IIA Industry Code , which adds further requirements to subscribers terms and conditions of Internet access, and the ABA proposals for restricting access to online material which must be screened against minors under the new regime. EFA also submitted to the Senate Legislation Committee in relation to classification guidelines on the narrowing of the X-rating across various media and the consequent banning of material controversially, but historically, in that classification. It s apparent that censorship of X-rated materials, obnoxious as it may be at the end of the 20 th century, is a symptom of Governments across Australia striving to retain control over a global medium.
Child pornography is prosecuted world-wide on a similar, though less than uniform, basis.
The trade in photographic evidence of child sexual abuse is under international ban. However, the extent to which a Government feels compelled to suppress explicit or unconventional sex-related materials is a barometer of its attitudes to unpopular expression or radical art. To smear critics of the online censorship as being in some way supporters of child pornography is a false claim, and counter-intuitive insofar as limited Government and police resources are being spent harassing web sites that are legal in other jurisdictions. EFA obtained a right of reply against claims made in Parliament by Senator Alston as to our motivations and credentials, and since January 2000 it has become apparent that the new laws are ineffective and costly. As predicted in the censorship debate last year, the focus on Internet legislation now shifts to State and Territory Governments.