It’s been one of the most unpopular policies of the former Rudd Government, generating particular outrage and vitriol among Australia’s digital communities. Of course, I’m talking about mandating the filtering of internet sites by Australian internet service providers.
The front-man responsible for arguing the case for internet filtering in Australian has been current Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.
Yet, today, the Twittersphere is alive with speculation over whether the controversial policy will be ditched and what the future holds for the Senator. The general consensus seems to be one involving a Cabinet shuffle, letting Conroy keep responsibility for the NBN and passing the Communications portfolio to fellow Labor Senator Kate Lundy.
Many pundits would be pleased with this development. And so, it could also be argued, might the good Senator himself.
It was only three weeks ago, that the Senator treated his critics to this awkwardly memorable quote on SBS TV.
Senator Conroy – “Spams and Scam” Quote (SBS TV)
And, like any viral gem, it has since been picked apart by the blogosphere. This piece of comedic gold from Kogan Technologies, the company that brought Australian consumers the chuckle-prompting KEVIN 37 Plasma in March 2009 (for $900), is a reasonably accurate reflection of how most net-savvy consumers view the policy.
Kogan’s “Spams and Scams” filter
What can we expect next? Gizmodo Australia has already launched an online campaign titled Kate Lundy For IT: The Change We Really Need. That, indeed, would be an exciting development. However, nowhere near as fun. Perhaps we should have a ‘crowdsourced’ vote and find a new Minister worth picking on?
