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Draconian Anti-Piracy Law Looms Over Australia

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the we-are-all-criminals-now dept.

ccozan writes to tell us of a law being rushed through the Australian legislature that would criminalize great swaths of the citizenry. The Internet Industry Association of Australia is posting warning scenarios spelling out how far-reaching this law would be. From the release: "A family who holds a birthday picnic in a place of public entertainment (for example, the grounds of a zoo) and sings 'Happy Birthday' in a manner that can be heard by others, risks an infringement notice carrying a fine of up to $1,320. If they make a video recording of the event, they risk a further fine for the possession of a device for the purpose of making an infringing copy of a song... The US Free Trade Agreement does not require Australia to go down this path, and neither US nor European law contain such far-reaching measures. We are at a total loss to understand how this policy has developed, who is behind it and why there is such haste in enacting it into law — with little if any public debate."

2 of 436 comments (clear)

  1. Howard's a cunt by Bob+Gelumph · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Normally on slashdot, there are thought-provoking topics that trigger much debate and such, but it's all pretty clear in this case.

    --
    I'm gonna need a spec.
    1. Re:Howard's a cunt by Frogbert · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Please don't mod the parent down, he is totally correct in his assertion.

      Howard needs to be taken down a notch. He has been in power a long time and will probably be in power for a few more years. John Howard pulls this shit all the time, he just brings in lame laws that protect American interests and we Australians will just have to deal with it.

      Australian politics is in a bad way at the moment. Howard's liberal party holds a majority in both houses of parliament and is using this majority to make all manor of broad sweeping changes. The worst part is that the leader of the opposition is incredibly unpopular, so it seems likely that the Liberals would win in the next election anyway.

      As it stands the only way these laws, or any others, will be stopped is if a member or two crosses the floor.

      Regardless the fact is that everyone will ignore these stupid laws like they have been for the past decade.

      In summary, John Howard is indeed a cunt.