mandatory internet censorship & filtering

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy plans to implement a mandatory, national web content filter at Internet Service Provider level. This will have many consequences including;

A reduction in Internet speed of up to 86%;

And the potential blocking or blacklisting of a website. The Minister has stated the objective of the filter is to protect children but has said that there are also plans to block what he terms as 'unwanted' sites which one assumes may include adult entertainment and gambling sites but also other sites that discuss issues such as euthanasia, abortion or religion. The minister has failed to identify what constitutes a site to be 'unwanted' or whom who make such a decision. He has also failed to establish any recourse by which the owner who has found their site to have been inadvertently blocked by the filter can appeal and have their site access reestablished.

This proposal is an affront to our democracy and our right to free speech. Soon we may have an Internet that is oppressive as some other countries such as China.

Some links with more information regarding the filter:
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/neutering-the-net-is-about-repression-not-protection-20081129-6nej.html
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20081114-Internet-filtering-to-cause-businesses-grief.html
http://www.smartcompany.com.au/Blog/Paul-Wallbank/20081117-Why-internet-filtering-is-bad-for-business.html
http://www.nocleanfeed.com
http://www.getup.org