Sure this does not necessarily directly relate to Linux - but as geeks,
this should concern you.
Your Government is fucking both the economy, and the IT industry.
If there is anything else that can be done to fuck a country, I'd be quite
impressed if it isn't already being done here in the "clever country".
As a certified geek, I can safely say that Australia smells for me, my
industry and most probably my kind.
`cat flames > /dev/null`
//umar.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 11:43:47 -0500
From: Declan McCullagh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: FC: Australian government wants to ban Net-gambling
Other recent articles:
http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/business.pat,business/37753a2e.325,.html
Congress needs to regulate Internet gambling
2001-03-27 05:53:09
http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/stories/0,1199,NAV47-68-84-88-93_STO58996,00.html
Wireless industry sees need for self-regulation of 'wireless vice'
2001-03-27 04:56:50
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/163672.html
Australian Government Set To Ban Net Gambling Services
2001-03-27 05:35:05
**********
From: "Dave McClure" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Interactive gambling ban - Media Release
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 11:02:40 -0500
Message-ID: <002301c0b6d7$5a1da510$0ace94cd@dave>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
Here is the news release from Sen. Richard Alston, Minister for
communications, information technology and the arts, announcing a new effort
to ban gambling in Australia.
http://www.dcita.gov.au/nsapi-graphics/?MIval=dca_dispdoc&pathid=5602
**********
[text of press release follows. --DBM]
Interactive gambling ban
The Federal Government will shortly introduce legislation to prohibit
Australian gambling service providers from providing online and interactive
gambling and wagering services to people located in Australia, the Minister
for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard
Alston announced today.
'The prohibition will apply to all gaming and wagering services, including
poker machines, casino games, sports betting and lotteries, that are
offered on a commercial basis over the Internet or through online delivery
systems such as interactive television and advanced mobile phone
technologies,' Senator Alston said.
'However, it will not apply to Australian gambling service providers
offering such new interactive services to people who are physically located
overseas. While it is a matter for other countries to decide how they will
approach online gambling, Australia's status as one of the world's leading
problem gambling nations demands that we take decisive action to protect
the most vulnerable in our community.
'Importantly the regime will not place any obligation on Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) to filter or to block prohibited interactive gambling
sites. Instead, the legislation will place the onus on gambling service
providers to determine whether users are physically located in Australia
and, if they are, to prevent them from accessing the gambling site.
'In relation to gambling service providers located offshore, the Government
will apply a similar regime to the online content regime whereby ISPs are
required to inform and make available to their customers relevant
user-based filters. While this aspect of the regime will be complaints
based as is the case with online content, it will be administered
pro-actively through the early identification of the finite number of
overseas gambling sites which will then be passed on to filter manufacturers.
'The regime will not result in any reduction in Internet performance.
However, the Coalition Government does not resile from its social
responsibility to ensure that the Internet is a safe and secure place for
all Australians to enjoy and to use as a beneficial social, educational and
business tool.
'The regime will not apply to long-established forms of interactive
gambling such as telephone betting. Nor will it apply to non-commercial
activities such as office footy tipping competitions or Melbourne Cup
sweeps when they are conducted over the Internet. Of course, the regime
will not apply to Internet share trading.'
Senator Alston said that the Government had taken heed of a recent report
by the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) which
investigated the feasibility and consequences of banning interactive
gambling. The report found that the growth of interactive gambling has the
potential for negative social consequences for Australia because of the
greatly increased accessibility of gambling services.
'In 1999, the Productivity Commission found that there were some 290,000
problem gamblers in Australia with 130,000 classified as 'severe' problem
gamblers,' Senator Alston said.
'In light of these facts, it is incumbent upon governments at all levels
and of all political persuasions to take strong action to combat the tragic
economic and social consequences of gambling in this country.
'Given that the Internet has the potential to make every home a virtual
casino, it is disappointing that the States and Territories have been so
dilatory in introducing a consumer protection and harm minimisation regime
for online gambling.
'However such measures, in themselves, are no substitute for the firm and
decisive action being proposed by the Federal Government as, the fact of
the matter is, that no politician can honestly guarantee that merely
introducing tough online gambling regulation will prevent a further
exacerbation of problem gambling in Australia.
'With 70% of Australians believing that gambling does more harm than good
and 92% not wanting more poker machines, it is now time for Messrs Beazley,
Beattie, Bacon and Bracks to step up to the plate and support this
important legislation,' Senator Alston said.
A copy of the NOIE report is available at www.noie.gov.au
Media Contact:
Senator Alston's Office, Sasha Grebe, 02 6277 740 or 0409 445 246
Website: www.richardalston.dcita.gov.au
38/01
27 March 2001
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