Freedom of Speech Censorship in Australia Coming to an End?

The state of South Australia has snatched politicians’ promise that the highly disputed election law enacted on January 6 will be revoked.

The recently introduced law stipulates that anyone publishing politically oriented comments online during election periods must declare their identity or risk the prospect of paying a stinging fine. Applied only to bloggers and commenters, not to official online newspapers or magazines, the law has a pronounced discriminatory character, which is condemned by persons constricted by its terms.

Voted by politicians as a measure of protection against disparagement, the law has caused waves of discontentment among the persons it targeted, who consider it a serious blow to freedom of speech. AdelaideNow, one of many online resources affected by the ruling, decided to take a strong stance and confront its restrictions in the press.

"It's hard to imagine South Australia's Electoral Commissioner will prowl the Internet day after day during the election campaign policing such a ridiculous law," said a spokesperson from AdelaideNow in an editorial.

"Realistically and logically, there is no need. All blogs and comments published on AdelaideNow are moderated. Broadcasters monitor and moderate what is broadcast. All also abide by extensive laws that prevent the publication or broadcast of defamatory and other illegal material."

South Australia's Attorney General Michael Atkinson hurried to defend the ruling, responding during a radio broadcast that among other things, the ruling is aimed at discouraging political adversaries from launching attacks while hiding under the cover of anonymity. Atkinson also suggested the idea that multiple negative comments addressing the law in effect posted on websites like AdelaideNow were faked, and pointed out to the name of Aaron Fornarino, whom he claimed to be a fictive person.

The team behind AdelaideNow subsequently attacked Atkinson’s hazardous statement, posting a picture that proved the mentioned person was indeed real. Realizing the potential implications of his mistake, Atkinson sent a new statement to the website, in which he had radically changed his position on the matter at hand: "From the feedback we've received through AdelaideNow, the blogging generation believes that the law supported by all MPs and all political parties is unduly restrictive. I have listened. I will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively. It may be humiliating for me, but that's politics in a democracy and I'll take my lumps."

Atkinson’s last statement was followed by various other comments from politicians who finally admitted the law was harsh on persons who wanted to express their opinions under the protection of anonymity, and suggested that it should be changed. Until then, however, freedom of speech will be kept in check throughout the state.