iiNet Busts Conroy For Spreading ‘Misinformation’

Senator Conroy has been on the warpath recently, accusing critics of the government’s proposed mandatory internet filter of spreading “misinformation”. Well last week, the minister himself was busted by iiNet after he publicly claimed that the ISP approved of and supported the filter. Which they don’t, obviously.

It all started last week when the minister told the Sun Herald that the policy has been approved by 85% of ISPs, including Telstra, Optus, iPrimus and iiNet. The problem with that statement is that it’s a bare faced lie, and iiNet came out swinging.

“The proposed filter is fundamentally flawed, will not achieve its stated purpose and simply will not work. It is fundamentally bad policy,” said Michael Malone, iiNet’s Chief Executive Officer. “We do not and never have supported such a system.”

Pretty huge “mistake” from the minister there. For someone whose major defence is calling his critics liars, that’s some pretty sticky egg he’s wearing on his face…

iiNet does not support Conroy’s Internet Filter
31st May, 2010: iiNet, Australia’s third largest ISP, today confirmed that it does not, has not and will not ever support the Federal Government’s planned internet filter.

“The proposed filter is fundamentally flawed, will not achieve its stated purpose and simply will not work. It is fundamentally bad policy,” said Michael Malone, iiNet’s Chief Executive Officer. “We do not and never have supported such a system.”

Mr Malone was responding to claims made over the weekend by Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Minister, Stephen Conroy, that the company supported the filter.

The proposed filter is intended to block access to a secret list of web sites, which the government will maintain. However, it will not apply to peer to peer networks or online chat, where illegal material is typically exchanged.

“No western country operates a mandatory filter like this,” said Mr Malone. “This proposal lines Australia up with Burma, Saudi Arabia and China, and has rightly attracted criticism from technical experts, the industry, child safety groups and even the US government.

“We have been involved in the Government’s consultation process in an effort to at least have some transparency measures introduced.

“However, any claim that our participation in that consultation process is support for the Government’s policy is an outright lie.

“Our position is unchanged. This proposed filter is a waste of money that should be instead spent on additional law enforcement and education resources.”

More information surrounding iiNet’s stance on internet filtering is available on their website: http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/internet-filtering.html

Eds Note: This story may be a week old, but it’s still critically important and needed to be told to anyone who missed it last week. – NB