Bernard Keane’s Talking Points: ditch the filter, and quit blaming Rudd/Tanner
If Labor had any sense it would use the higher profile of the election campaign to go all the way and entirely ditch its execrable internet filter policy, maximising its vast advantage over the Coalition in the digital economy space. It was long mooted that Kevin Rudd and his social conservatism were behind the policy […]
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- If Labor had any sense it would use the higher profile of the election campaign to go all the way and entirely ditch its execrable internet filter policy, maximising its vast advantage over the Coalition in the digital economy space. It was long mooted that Kevin Rudd and his social conservatism were behind the policy — though Stephen Conroy has always insisted he’s an enthusiastic supporter of it.
- Retaining the filter as developed by Conroy to date, continuing the review of the Refused Classification category, but making it ‘opt-out’ would address most of the concerns opponents have about it while still enabling the government to offer a ‘family-friendly’ policy. The opposition is hopelessly conflicted on the issue.
- With the Coalition promising a crackdown on knives and gangs, perhaps Tony Abbott can go all the way and start promising a ‘cop on the beat’ (or, better yet, a ‘tough cop on the beat’, not just an ordinary one) in every suburb in the country. But he’s not the first Coalition leader to go down that route. John Hewson paused from selling Fightback in 1993 to promise a crackdown on crime, making for an alarming detour into reactionary populism by the feral abacus.
- There are few within Labor who seriously think it was either Rudd or Lindsay Tanner (whom Alan Jones came litigiously close to blaming yesterday) behind the leak. Several fingers are being pointed at other senior ministers so far not mentioned in dispatches.
- Labor had a better campaign day yesterday with its disability announcement. Bill Shorten might be a blood-soaked political operator but he has proved a passionate and inspired advocate for disability issues. But will the passion and focus on the new disability strategy last into a second term if he’s promoted? Abbott and Shorten’s opposition counterpart, the foolishly underutilised Mitch Fifield, had to respond with “watch this space”.
About the Author
Bernard Keane
Politics Editor @BernardKeane
Bernard Keane is Crikey's political editor. Before that he was Crikey's Canberra press gallery correspondent, covering politics, national security and economics.
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