Here we are, now, in John Howard's government which has been in power since 1996, and we are seeing the steady erosion of all those liberties which we were taking so for granted in the 1970s, 1980s, and even into some of the 1990s.
Concentration camps were set up by the Australian Labor Party in 1992, and they have become places of oppression and torture and human rights abuses which would easily find places of honour in many of our so-called reviled regimes around the world.
Australians have been brain-washed into believing what the Howard government tells them, and in any event it is the path of least resistance! No need to have a conscience - we are all so selfish we just have to worry about ourselves.
The exact text of what Martin Niemoller said, and which appears in the Congressional Record, October 14, 1968, page 31636 is:
I was not a Jew, therefore I was not concerned.
And when Hitler attacked the Catholics,
I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned.
And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists,
I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned.
Then Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church --
and there was nobody left to be concerned."
The issue of censorship in a society increasingly marginalised and fractured by religious bigots whose agendas have affected so many governments is so horrific that it is now increasingly creeping in to the individual states in Australia
The following letter appeared in The Age (Melbourne) newspaper on 4 March 2005 and is self explanatory:
The Victorian Government's new Classification (Publications, Film and Computer Games)(Enforcement)(Amendment)Bill, which seeks to ban the expression of sexual behaviour by those over the age of consent but under 18 in films and literature, is an incredibly backward step. It also does a terrible disservice to young Australians.
At present there is a ban on films and literature that depict a person under 16 engaging in sexual activity. That seems fair enough as the age of consent is 16. Extending the definition of "objectionable films" to censor representations of people in this situation who are under 18 is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Our young people need, and are entitled to, representations of their increasingly complex emotions, desires and thoughts in great Australian literature and film. They need their values and beliefs on sexuality, and their experiences of sex, confirmend and questioned as much as adults do - arguably more so. If Attorney-General Rob Hulls seriously wants to promote the physical, sexual, emotional and psychological safety of young people, he should drop his plan.
Unsafe sex and unwanted pregnancies are the most significant health issues facing Australian young people. The third National Survey of Australian Secondary Students, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health, carried out by the Australian Research Centre and funded by the Department of Health and Ageing, revealed that most year 10 and 12 students are sexually active to varying degrees; most are not practising safe sex; one in four report they were alcohol or drug-affected during their most recent encounter; and most do not feel confident they can talk about sexual issues with their parents.
We cannot deal effectively with these issues through a regime of censorship that silences and ignores young people's sexuality. Frank and relevant representations of them dealing with these issues are an integral part of addressing these health concerns. Legislation that resembles the Hays Code and Legion of Decency ratings of 1930s America is not what our society and young people need. The new Classification Bill presents us with the only really objectionable act.
Jamieson Kane (VCE media and English teacher), Hawthorn
A bill introduced by the Government earlier this year (2005) would have changed the threshold age in which teenagers can engage in sex acts or be depicted in "an indecent sexual manner", from 16 to 18.
The changes would have expanded the definition of "objectionable films" that cannot be made in Victoria, potentially thwarting films similar to Somersault, judged best film last year by the Australian Film Institute - about a sexually precocious 16-year-old girl - from being made in Victoria.
The Government this week introduced amendments in Parliament to ensure Victorian filmmakers could produce "legitimate dramatic films" that dealt with teenage sexuality.
At the same time, it will remain a crime to produce pornographic films with children under 18.
Filmmakers were concerned about censorship of legitimate works when the legislation was announced. Attorney-Genreal Rob Hulls said this had not been his intention.
"The Bracks Government supports Victorian filmmakers and today's amendments ensure the arts community will not be affected in their production of legitimate films," Mr Hulls said on Wednesday (23 March).
"At the same time, the Government has ensured that it will remain an offence for pornographic films to be made using children under 18."
Australian Screen Directors Association executive director Richard Harris welcomed the change.
"On the first reading of the amendment, it looks like it's a positive move," he said.
"We're always concerned about filmmakers having the ability to make films about as many subjects as possible and (when this bill was introduced) we were very concerned about what it meant for their level of creative freedom."
Provisions in the act will safeguard teenagers by making it an offence to produce films that are, or would receive, an X rating or be refused classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification.
This would apply to any film that depicts a person who is, or appears to be under 18, in a pornographic manner, Mr Hulls said.
The amendments would bring Victoria into line with other states and ensure its classification laws complied with the International Labour Organisation Convention guidelines on the worst forms of child labour.
Here is the article about the New South Wales National Party's attempt to ban two children's books:
The NSW National Party's attempt to ban two children's books has angered community members, writes Ian Gould
The NSW National Party's push to ban two children's books about same-sex parents has prompted the books' author to call for the support of Sydney's queer community.
Nationals' leader Andrew Stoner last week told state parliament the books Koalas On Parade and The Rainbow Cubby House by Vicki Harding were an "outrageous attempt to brainwash our kids" and should be removed from NSW primary schools.
He said he had received 25 complaints about the books, which dealt with themes that were unsuitable for younger children. This prompted Premier Bob Carr to refer the matter to the Department of Education.
Harding, who wrote the books with her eight-year-old daughter Brenna, said she was disappointed by Stoner's remarks and believed the books play a role in promoting diversity and reducing discrimination.
"I was shocked and a little bit sick of it all. I think it's an overreaction," said Harding, who caused a political stir last year when she and her girlfriend appeared with Brenna on Play School.
Harding also rejected Stoner's claims the books were inappropriate for young children.
"As opposed to a gay agenda . . . children are taught what 'normal' is. That's why this sort of work needs to be done, so they don't consider kids from different families to be freaks."
Harding is encouraging community members to write letters to Stoner and Carr in support of the books.
"[Stoner] is reacting to letters of complaint so letters of complaint seem to be listened to, and maybe we can make that work for us rather than against us," she said.
Harding's books are currently being used in some state primary schools but are not on the official curriculum.
Stoner told the Star he and the complainants don't have a problem with the topic of the books but that the issue is "the age at which children should be exposed to these sorts of sensitive social issues."
"What they're saying is that five to seven to eight years is too young, probably for most kids [to discuss these issues]," he said.
A spokesperson for NSW Education minister Carmel Tebbutt said the books' use is a matter for individual schools.
"It's up to the school communities to decide whether the books are useful and appropriate for their school," the spokesperson said.
The Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, which partly funded Koalas On Parade, said the books play an important role in increasing tolerance.
"There are five- and six-year-olds who have two mums and two dads, who go to school and are faced with this situation," Lobby co-convenor David Scamell told the Star.
"We think it's important that young children are made aware of the fact that we live in a diverse society."
This letter was sent to The Age's Good Weekend on 13 May 2005. It was published on 28 May 2005, but the editor felt it was necessary to censor the paragraph relating to anti-semitism. The letter was thus deprived of the sting it was meant to deliver to the anti-semitic letter that it was written in response to. The censored paragraph is shown in italics in the letter!
Mannie De Saxe 2/12 Murphy Grove Preston Vic 3072 Phone:(03)9471 4878
email: josken_at_zipworld_com_au web: http:www.zipworld.com.au/~josken
Helen Joukhador (yourturn 7 May 2005) objects to Mark Dapin stating in his article "God probably lied to Jesus" and requests the author to refrain from using statements supporting his antagonism towards Christianity and to use figures from his Jewish faith to support his text.
Jesus was Jewish and practised the Jewish faith as Joshua, son of Joseph and Mary, if the history books and Bible are correct. Maybe she should reflect that Christianity is a direct descendant of Judaism, and in history's contrary fashion Christianity has been the biggest propagator of anti-semitism since the early days of the new religion.
We need a bit of thought and understanding before we spring into print with these sorts of statements.
Mannie De Saxe, Preston
This item was received on 25 November 2005, and is yet another example of the perfidious workings of the Australian Federal and State governments working together to ensure that Australia and Australians are dumbed down to the lowest common denominator - or just dumbed down!!!
POLYESTER BOOKS PRESS RELEASE 17/11/05
xXx BUSTED BY THE FUZZ & OFLC
POLYESTER BOOKS TO CLOSE DOWN?
On the 16th November 2005, Polyester Books of 330 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy VIC was raided and searched by several police officers with a search warrant. Several hundred videos and dvds - with an X-rating or deemed un-rated - were confiscated. While legal in Canberra and the Territories, X-rated material is considered illegal in Victoria. And while there's potentially no problems ordering this material from international corporations like Amazon on the internet, we say - 'Keep Your Aussie Porn Dollar in Australia'. We urge the powers that be to amend the legislation, permitting the legal buying and selling of X-rated content in Victoria and Australia-wide (not just in Canberra!)
Is Club X next? Is Polyester Books the first in a statewide crackdown on adult entertainment and the selling of x-rated material? Very soon - NO PORN IN VICTORIA! Is this what you want?
We are planning a campaign in response to this outrage that harks back to the dark ages of draconian Australian censorship.
Please support the concept of personal freedom and help us survive this trauma by donating to our legal fund and signing our petition online: www.petitionspot.com/petitions/polyester in-store or at upcoming events.
Support Polyester - buy a Polyester T-Shirt online at www.polyester.com.au or come down to the store. We need your help.
Media Contact: Paul Elliott Ph: (03) 9419 5223
E: gonzo@polyester.com.au Brother Gonzo PolyEster Books
330 Brunswick St Fitzroy VIC 3065 T: 039419 5223 F: 039419 5451
mailing list at:LumpyGroovyOnline
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