You remember that hideous and absurdly secretive “Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement” (ACTA) the US is busy “negotiating” with other countries like Australia in order to try to prop up its crooked corporate copyright industry by taking away consumer rights and enacting ridiculously punitive enforcement regimes around the world?
It’s okay, we’ll finish it up without you – you just sign when we’re done.
Just an update: they’re finalising it now, aiming for completion in September. While Foreign Affairs is negotiating on our behalf, without direction from parliament. I know it’s the sort of nasty corporate bullying that its victims (ordinary Australians) won’t realise until it’s too late, and that therefore both the Liberal and Labor parties will probably support it – but, still. At least if it came before the new parliament the Greens would ensure there was an actual debate about its provisions. Who knows, maybe some members of the media would sit up and take notice.
It’s not as important as Julia’s earrings, obviously, but it could be worth some kind of a mention.
Moved On 
Under the current system patent trolls get richer and more able to bribe US politicians who inevitably extend the grant of private monopolies without a thought for the public whose benefit such laws are alleged to serve.
It’s issues like this that confuse me in my pursuit to understand conservative politics.
How does destroying the freedoms of the individual (such as in this scenario) align with this http://liberal.org.au/The-Party/Our-Beliefs.aspx
Perhaps I should stop trying to use logic. Then it might work.
Yes, logic + Liberal Party = non sequitur.
They’re all for individual freedoms, so long as those individuals are white, middle-aged, heterosexual Australian parents who own shares in companies. The Liberal party is focused on protecting those shares.
Oh, I forgot to put “Christian” in there. My bad.
Well said dezinerau..a nice summary of Liberal Party views.
Why is this an occasion to bash conservatives? The ALP, supported by all manner of lefty luvvies, recently rejected a proposal to limit the exploitation of the public by Australian book publishers. The fact is that the Obama regime, which is decidedly not conservative, is pushing this nonsense down our throats. And I recall that it was the moronic Labor stooge Conroy who wanted to filter the internet.
Vested interests will continue to wield their undue influence on politicians at least until voters let them know this is a serious issue.
Hear hear SB.
“The ALP, supported by all manner of lefty luvvies, recently rejected a proposal to limit the exploitation of the public by Australian book publishers.”
That was pretty terrible.
And I believe the Greens supported it, to my great annoyance.
“And I believe the Greens supported it, to my great annoyance.”
That’s because the Greens are surprisingly parochial and nationalistic when it comes to anything except global warming and a couple of other rare exceptions.