[slug-chat] Re: [SLUG] FC: Australian government wants to ban Net-gambling (fwd)

[Umar Goldeli <umar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Terry,

Actually it's called "introduce blanket legislation" - provided that they
can introduce one sort of bill prohibiting certain actions - you can be
assured that there will be very lax wording in regards to the scenarios
which they will have control over - to include other online services. The
other point is that once they have one bill through like this - the rest
follow much easier, as precedents are set.

You just watch - since the BSA bill for censorship passed last year, they
just keep coming.. and passing.

Australian politicians are stupid. They don't know what they are doing it
seems. Short-term fame maybe, but to remove a law in the long-term is
painful. But then again, Australia needs a complete constitutional
rewrite. Hell, we don't even officially have freedom of speech.

I've been thinking about poking at my local member, but I don't believe in
democracy anymore. I need to find someone to bribe obviously. I'm sure it
works for Alston. It's a sad day when a voting constituent loses his faith
in democracy.

//umar.


> Personally, I am ambivalent. 
> Prohibition without treatment doesn't seem to work.
> 
> Actually, I'm head scratching wondering why the government is bothering
> really. Do they think the pokies industry and/or the internet gambling
> industry is going to make bigger donations to party funds?
> 
> Or is this a case of diversional tactics - bash internet gambling as a
> bad thing because it won't affect as many people as raising petrol or
> beer excise and makes them look good.
> 
> But Howard is doing a really good job of making sure as many Australians
> as possible send their money overseas.
>