Case Studies

Julia Gillard Makes It Illegal To Criticise Her


A newspaper article written by Andrew Bolt, on August 31st, 2011.
Sourced from Steven Godard who posted this on November 17, 2011 at Real Science Website.

The topic on Carbon Tax has been brought up by many businesses around Australia. Ever since the whitewash began and carbon tax being passed through the federal parliament, 'the government's clean-up brigade is getting into the swing by trying to erase any dissent against the jobs-destroying legislation' (Bolt A., Real-Science Website, 2011) [CACS-1].

About a year ago, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission claimed that they have been directed by the government to issue warnings to businesses stating that they will face fines of up to $1.1 million dollars if they blame the carbon tax for price rises. Businesses are now prohibited to throw special carbon tax sales promotions and carbon cops that are roaming the streets, will do snap audits of businesses if they attempt to link any of their price increase to a carbon price. On the contrary, they have been told by the carbon cops to link their price increase to the overall cost of running their business.

Hence, in his article, Andrew Bolt considers the Prime Minister to have overstepped the line when she called the chairman and CEO of News Limited, John Hartigan, who mentioned that the calls were an attempt 'at censorship have many sinister overtones, with threats of inquiries and forced sales left hanging in the air' (Bolt A., Real-Science Website, 2011) [CACS-1].

Censorship: Labor's Hidden Policy

An extract from a newspaper article written by Nick Ross, on July 21st, 2010.
Sourced from the ABC website - The Drum [CACS-2].

Different States in Australia deal with classification in different ways. At present, Refused Classification (RC) material is only illegal in Western Australia. Conversely, X18+ material is only available on sale in Australian Central Territory and Northern Territory. Consequently, depending on where you are, you may get fined or sent to jail for selling material classified legal by the Federal government. With pornography being added to Australian landing cards last September (to no media furore whatsoever), all visitors coming to Australia with pornography on their laptops or phones, must now declare it, have it screened by customs and hope that it isn't deemed RC as they can be fined, refused entry or jailed depending on what they have. Barely any mention has been made of this in the Australian and international media - surprising considering the attention given to the landing cards dealings with drugs and quarantine. The Australian Sex Party's Fiona Patten told us you can "Risk five year jail terms for bringing in more than 25 copies of an RC film under the new Tier One Customs regulations" which a sex shop owner (or tourist) can do if they inadvertently import anything deemed RC. Furthermore, in April this year, New South Wales man Darrell Cohen, a gay 23-year old sex shop owner was sent to prison for, as Patten states, "Selling 45 Federally classified X-rated films and five RC films ... gay mild ... stuff, nothing with animals or anything. First time in the western world that someone has gone to jail for selling a federal government approved film ... It's just unbelievable that in 2010 when you can get all manner of perversity on the internet, and when Conroy has specifically said the filter will not target X-rated material because it's 'legal' that a young man can go to jail for selling same."

Largest Producer Of X18+ Material Shut Down

An extract from a newspaper article written by melonfarmers.co.uk, on June 25st, 2010, sourced from the Australian Sexparty website [CACS-3].

In 2009,  Victoria's largest producer of X18+ material, Abby Winters.com was prosecuted for making X18+ films. They have currently shifted their business to a more tolerant European country. Under direction from the federal Attorney General department, many adult retail, wholesale and production outlets have been raided and had their stock confiscated. As part of a continuing crack down on adult entertainment by the government, three New South Wales adult shops were raided by state police. In addition, a Sydney adult shop owner, Darrell Cohen became the first person to be sent to jail in modern times for a censorship offence.