Senator Andrew Bartlett
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
 
More on Electoral Laws and Blogs
A few weeks ago concern was expressed on many blogs about the possibility of the federal Government changing the law to regulate websites, including blogs, containing electoral comment. I did a posting on it here, and also made comment in debates about the matter on some other sites.

A story in the Blog Herald mentions developments in this area in Canada which directly affect bloggers:
"people in the Canadian Province of British Columbia who blog on an upcoming referendum are being required to register with Elections BC, a Government body which runs elections in the province. Terminal City reports any party supporting one side or the other have to register under referendum regulations and that potentially after April 19, anyone posting their views on a blog on the outcome of the provincial election being held at the same time may have to register with Elections BC under the Election Act as well."

Whilst blogs weren't specifically mentioned by the Australian Government when they flagged a new requirement to have authorisations on political websites, they would very likely be affected. This Canadian example will be worth following to see how (and if) it works in practice.

There are valid points on various sides of this debate but I urge anyone who is interested to send their views to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Matters, which is conducting its regular inquiry into the conduct of elections.

The Committee's first public hearings will be next week in regional towns in the fine state of Queensland. On the 27th they are in Dalby in the morning and Longreach in the afternoon, followed the next day by a visit to Ingham.

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Tuesday, April 19, 2005 Permalink
|


<< Home