AdelaideNow is reporting that at 10pm Central Australian Time, South Australian Attorney General Michael Atkinson has:
[...] made a “humiliating” backdown and announced he will retrospectively repeal his law censoring internet comment on the state election.
[...] Mr Atkinson at 10pm released this statement: "From the feedback we’ve received through AdelaideNow, the blogging generation believes that the law supported by all MPs and all political parties is unduly restrictive. I have listened.
"I will immediately after the election move to repeal the law retrospectively."
I can attest to the number of responses, my post on the issue which was only released hours ago already had half a dozen detailed comments and trackbacks. For a silly little blog like mine that’s a big deal!
I left a comment, though now that I think of it I’m disappointed that I failed to address his comment about all MPs supporting the law.
Kudos to him for coming to his senses and not continuing to fight despite evidence to the contrary… on this particular issue, perhaps there’s hope yet for other common sense issues such as R18+ games. I’m worried this was even considered a good idea first though, it shows people in power still have a great deal to learn about new media, censorship and common sense.
This closes the book… I hope. And just for fun I’ll post my name and postcode on this post, for the last time.
Update
Other people’s comments have been published on AdelaideNow but not mine. I suppose the ‘Tiser does perform their own censorship too which is ironic given the circumstances.
Hooray!!
Although what does it mean when something is to be repealed AFTER AN ELECTION?
Does this mean that this just became an “election promise”, that it can be broken by either this current Government, or the next one??
Sounds like it.
I wouldn’t trust Atkinson farther than I could throw him.
Alas I fear you’re both right, at this stage we only have his word to go on that this will be repealed. I shouldn’t have got my hopes up prematurely!