While this isn’t technically Chanology related, I feel that this is a subject that hits very close to home for Anons.
We need to save the internet from Conroy, and the Governments proposed Internet Filter.
To quote the South Australian Facebook Event:
The Australian Federal Government is pushing forward with a plan to force Internet Service Providers [ISPs] to censor the Internet for all Australians. This plan will waste tens of millions of taxpayer dollars and slow down Internet access.
Despite being almost universally condemned by the public, ISPs, State Governments, Media and censorship experts, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is determined to force this filter into your home.
What is the Government’s plan?
Although the final details of the filtering plans have been kept under wraps, the Minister is on record as being firmly committed to a mandatory clean-feed internet to Australian homes, schools and public computers. A trial of filtering software by the ACMA has already been performed, with a “live” field pilot to follow later this year. We must act fast before millions of dollars are squandered on this technically impractical and democratically unworkable solution in search of a problem.
What do we know so far?
Filtering will be mandatory in all homes and schools across the country.
The clean feed will censor material that is “harmful and inappropriate” for children.
The filter will require a massive expansion of the ACMA’s blacklist of prohibited content.
The Government wants to use dynamic filters of questionable accuracy that slow the internet down by an average of 30%.
The filtering will target legal as well as illegal material.
$44m has been budgeted for the implementation of this scheme so far.
The clean-feed for children will be opt-out, but a second filter will be mandatory for all Internet users.
A live pilot deployment is going ahead in the near future.
What we don’t know is just as important.
What age level is the country’s Internet to be made appropriate for? 15? 10? 5 years old?
Who decides what material is “appropriate” for Australians to see?
How are lists of “illegal” material compiled?
Who will maintain the blacklist of prohibited sites?
How can sites mistakenly added to the list be removed?
All of us want to see children protected from content that could be disturbing or harmful. The clean-feed filter is not a good way to go about this, and could actually reduce the safety of children online.
There is a Nationwide protest for against the filter that will be occuring in South Australia on Saturday December 13th from 12 noon to 4 pm at the steps of Parliment House.
Please RSVP to the Facebook Event and invite all your friends along.
CITY of Adelaide Minister Jane Lomax-Smith unknowingly appears in an internet video in which she brands members of Scientology as “bastards” while criticising the group’s entitlement to tax exemptions for religious organisations.
Her comments were secretly filmed in May by the internet collective Anonymous, which has been conducting protests against Scientology and posted on the online video site, YouTube.
Anonymous members, often wearing eye-catching disguises, have been holding monthly protests against Scientology and its teachings.
The YouTube video shows Dr Lomax-Smith in front of a restaurant in Waymouth St, next door to Scientology, asking a group of masked people: “Are you all related to someone who’s been sucked in?”
The video, which appeared to be taken without Dr Lomax-Smith’s consent, then hears her discussing Scientology’s tax exemptions, a status shared by other religious organisations and charities.
“They should be taxed, the bastards,” she is heard saying. “They shouldn’t be tax free, we’re subsidising them.”
In an emailed statement from the ministers’ media adviser Leah Manuel, Dr Lomax-Smith said: “It was a private conversation and I was expressing a personal view. There’s nothing more to add.”
Scientologist spokesman Nigel Manock said he was aware of the video and had sought clarification from the State Government, which had responded by saying Dr Lomax-Smith’s views did not reflect State Labor antidiscrimination
MICHAEL OWEN, POLITICAL REPORTER July 10, 2008 03:20pm
EDUCATION Minister Jane Lomax-Smith has been caught on tape declaring Scientologists “should be taxed, the bastards”.
Footage from a video recorded during a protest on May 10 by internet activist group Anonymous has emerged which shows Dr Lomax-Smith casually chatting to protesters in Adelaide.
Clearly not a fan of the controversial Church of Scientology, Dr Lomax-Smith asks protesters how frequently they gather and exclaims, “oh, it’s great”.
She then asks about the protest group, which is dedicated to “dismantling and destroying” the Church of Scientology.
Watch the video here – the footage featuring Jane Lomax-Smith begins at the 8:05 mark, towards the end of the recording
It wants the church’s tax-exempt status rescinded, alleging it is a cult rather than a religion.
The religious organisation is regularly in the news for its beliefs and high-profile celebrity spokespeople such as Tom Cruise, as well as its fundraising activities.
Dr Lomax-Smith tells protesters: “They should be taxed, the bastards. They shouldn’t be tax-free, we’re subsidising them.”
She then says: “I like your masks.”
In an emailed statement issued today, Dr Lomax-Smith said: “It was a private conversation and I was expressing a personal view. There’s nothing more to add.”
Church of Scientology Australia president Vicki Dunstan said the organisation was entitled to the same rights as other churches “and the full bench of the High Court of Australia unanimously confirmed this in 1983″.
“Dr Lomax-Smith is an elected official and as such represents the voice and rights of the many different races, cultures and creeds in their electorate,” Ms Dunstan said.
“She has a duty to follow the policy of her party and refrain from making derogatory public comments that promote intolerance and violate the very basis of our democratic constitution.”
State Opposition Leader Martin Hamilton-Smith said Dr Lomax-Smith’s assertion that the church should not be exempt from tax “flies in the face of federal and state decisions to exempt the church from taxes”.
“The Treasurer has signed off on exemptions from state payroll taxes and they include organisations such as the Church of Scientology,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.
“If Dr Lomax-Smith thinks that’s wrong, then she should raise her concerns with (Treasurer Kevin Foley) and justify her case.”
A SOUTH Australian minister has attacked the Church of Scientology, branding its members as “bastards”.
Education and Children’s Services Minister Jane Lomax-Smith made the comment to a group of protesters outside the church’s offices in Adelaide.
She was recorded and the video was posted on You Tube sometime after the protest earlier this year.
Ms Lomax-Smith was critical of Scientology’s tax-free status as a religious organisation.
“They should be taxed – the bastards,” she told the small group of protesters from an internet collective called Anonymous.
“They shouldn’t be tax-free, we’re subsidising them.â€
The minister approached the group whose members wear masks and asked whether they were all related to someone who had been “sucked in†by scientology.
She has described her comments as personal views made in a private conversation.
Scientology attracts high-profile converts around the world including actor Tom Cruise who is believed to have introduced one of Australia’s richest men, Jamie Packer, to the church and its practices.
[Edit: WE JUST MADE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA - UPI reported on it:]
ADELAIDE, Australia, July 10 (UPI) — The South Australian government said Friday that the education minister had a right to call Scientologists “bastards” in a video posted on YouTube.
Jane Lomax-Smith made the comments in May when she encountered demonstrators from a group that calls itself Anonymous outside the Church of Scientology headquarters in Adelaide, The Australian reports. Lomax-Smith asked the masked protesters if they were related to people who had been “sucked in” by Scientology.
“They should be taxed, the bastards,” she added. “They shouldn’t be tax-free; we’re subsidizing them. I like your masks.”
Anonymous posted the video on the Internet, leading to an official protest from the church to South Australian Premier Mike Rann. In a statement Thursday from Sydney, the church said that Lomax-Smith should not promote intolerance.
Rann’s office said that Lomax-Smith was giving her own views in a private conversation as she has a right to do.
The church, founded by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, has a number of high-profile members, including movie stars John Travolta and Tom Cruise.
It was also reported on on Channel 7 News Adelaide on the 10th of July, but I am unaware of any cap of it – if you have one, could you please share it to us and link to it in the comments. There was also a much longer print version of the Messenger Article, published in the “Issues” section of The Eastern Courier on the 3rd of July, which we would also like to get a copy of.
The Video in question that they are reporting on is the May 10th Raid video:
And finally, The Today Tonight reports (Scientology: If your listening, we had nothing to do with the making of these videos, we do not work with Channel 7 or Today Tonight in any way)
Part 1:
Pilkington: What about Jane Lomax having a go at the Scientologists and she says, it’s a con and they ought to be taxed, and it’s been put up on the ‘net this morning! Conlon: The context is that when that anonymous group, the white faces … did their protest a few weeks ago she went and talked to them and this is the soundtrack from the video. So it wasn’t a public statement by her, she was just chatting to them ,but she quite clearly thinks they’re a cult and that they should be taxed. Of course, they should be tax free because they won the right to be a church in Australia Pilkington: They won … a High Court decision … in the eighties … Conlon: Somebody should take it on again some time! Pilkington: Gary’s here … Jon Blake (As Lomax-Smith) No, sorry it’s not Gary, sorry that must be from some previous caller. It’s Jane Lomax-Smith. Conlon: Hello there Jon Blake Hooo, hello. hahahahahaha, look I was going to ring you about this, because it’s really a *missing word* issue and I knew it was close to your heart Keith because you hate them as much as I do. Conlon: I do, yes. Jon Blake So … why don’t we have a yelling match? I’ll start off with an abuse and then you come back with one. Bastards. Conlon: Yeah, shocking. Jon Blake No, no … You come back with asshole, and I say, ‘mongrels’, and you can say ‘turds’, and I’ll say ‘money driven wackos’, ‘volcano living spaced out goonbars’ and then you can ‘twats’ and then we can use the c-word – call them a bunch of ‘cults’ , a bunch of cults! … Come on, you’re not joining in Keith. I thought you’d be, it’s right up your alley isn’t it, really? Hmmmm? Are you wearing your magic underwear. No, that’s the Mormans isn’t it? we’ll get them next. Byeeeeee, hahahaha Conlon:…The Mormans don’t charge you thousands of dollars to improve your personality. Pilkington: So they won a High Court decision back in the eighties … to be considered a church and as such it’s tax exempt … Conlon: Unlike Germany where they’re banned.
It has come to the attention of Anonymous that Scientologists may be distributing the Anonymous Hate Crimes propaganda DVD in South Australia.
Scientologists have approached Adelaide shop owners who have displayed Anonymous posters: advising them to take down the posters. One shop owner has reported that he was contacted on two occasions by members of the Church of Scientology. Another shop owner has advised members of Anonymous that posters displayed on their premises were stolen. Both locations displayed the posters prominently and were in high-traffic areas of Adelaide.
The first shop owner advised Anonymous that they were warned “not to put up stuff like that”, and the poster was removed. The business agreed to place a second poster in their window, and they were again contacted by Scientology. On the second occasion, the poster was again removed, and they were given a DVD. We have reason to believe this DVD is the Anonymous Hate Crimes film.
If you have been contacted by Scientology and have one of these DVD’s, please contact us:
A great protest was had, a very high energy protest, as you can see by the video below.
A high energy—and at times, acrobatic—protest started off at 2pm. We talked with the police, as they had asked to contact Anonymous. It’s funny seeing a policeman say an IRC nickname seriously.
We headed off the same path, we handed out over 300 flyers and even Jane Lomax-Smith dropped by and made a few choice comments that you should really see for yourself.
A great time had by all, even the security guards were laughing with us, scientologists coming and going (albeit taking our photos) and we were informed by the police that there were children inside, so we played some battletoads and fun songs for them.
So why not come down next protest? We had a blast, you will too.
Have fun taking down a dangerous cult in your spare time.
Well, it looks like Scientology have been a busy bunch. I received a hand delivered letter from a man around about 6:25pm, and with it he read out a small note on request. The note said
“THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY BELIEVES THAT YOU ARE PART OF ANONYMOUS WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IT BELIEVES IS INVOLVED IN DEATH THREATS AND BOMB THREATS. THE CHURCH BELIEVES YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS GROUP IF THESE ALLEGATIONS ARE CORRECT COULD MAKE YOU AN ACCOMPLICE TO THESE ACTS.”
but more importantly, was the letter. You will find pictures of the letter at the bottom of the page which are kind of blurry, but it read
Dear Mr ***,
RE: THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY AUSTRALIA
We have been retained by the Church of Scientology Australia in connection with its concerns regarding a series of terrorist threats against Church leaders and parishioners made by an internet group known as ‘Anonymous’.
We are instructed that since January 2008 members of Anonymous have engaged in a campaign of violence against the Church, its members and Church property That Anonymous members have made numerous bomb threats, arson threats and committed acts of vandalism against Scientology Churches. That they have made harassing phone calls, sent vulgar and threatening faxes, posted threats on the internet and publicly threatened to kill Scientologists engaged in religious services. That on 30 January 2008, Anonymous members sent letters containing simulated anthrax to over twenty Scientology Churches in Southern California.
We are further instructed that Anonymous members have also sent threatening emails to the Church, including, “[I will] kill you… I have the authority to use lethal force”; and “I’m watching you, and I control the bombs.” And on 13 February 2008, Anonymous placed a video threat on the Internet, saying:
“We are an elite Anonymous. On the 13th of March 2008 . . . one 5 kilogram pack of nitro glycerine will detonate in the Churches of Scientology across the United States of America . . . This will be the world’s biggest terrorist attack on a religion. Lives will be lost… A separate personal attack on [the President of the Church] will be launched on the 13th of March 2008 at an undisclosed time. His execution along with the deaths of other countless Scientologists will strike fear into the hearts of every member of this cult.”
We are informed law enforcement authorities have been notified of these illegal activities.
We are instructed to send you this letter because the Church believes that you may be directing or leading some or all of the actions of “Anonymous”, and have assisted in its campaign of violence and harassment including prank calls and other acts against the local Church. In particular, you were identified by the fact that your name and contact details appear on a permit for Anonymous as a local representative for Anonymous in Adelaide, South Australia.
We are further instructed to advise that should you or your organization continue inciting and / or engaging in such acts against the Church or its members, we are to take all legal steps necessary to protect our client.
Yours faithfully BROCK PARTNERS
I’m not really sure what to make of this, as I have no knowledge of any prank calls, violence or harassment against the local church. I personally don’t want to see any harm coming towards any member of the church, as they are people like anyone else. And I think I would be right in saying that the other members of our group here in Adelaide think the same thing. I will continue to do what I am doing, and it is fortunate that I am already following the request of the letter through my actions.
