https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/09/15/australia-introduces-legislation-to-outla...Australia Introduces Legislation to Outlaw Disagreeing With the Government
6 days ago
Eric Worrall
As Australia approaches its next cycle of state and federal elections, the radical Aussie Federal Government is pushing laws which could silence media criticism of their key policy positions.
‘Attack on our freedoms’: Government’s revised online misinformation bill slammed as ‘chilling assault’ on free speech
Labor’s new online misinformation bill has been slammed as a “chilling assault” on freedom of speech, with critics claiming the government’s definition of “serious harm” could capture “any difference of opinion”.
Patrick Hannaford Digital Reporter
4 min read
September 12, 2024 – 5:00PM
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Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced the legislation to Parliament on Thursday, claiming misinformation and disinformation pose a “serious threat” to Australian’s “safety and wellbeing” as well as “our democracy, society and economy”.
The Albanese government was forced to abandon a previous draft version of the laws after they were widely condemned by everyone from media organisations and tech companies to civil liberties groups and even the Australian Human Rights Commission.