The Federal Opposition says the collapse of a proposed joint venture to build the National Broadband Network in Tasmania shows the overall project is a shambles.

The Government planned to build the network with Tasmanian electricity company Aurora Energy.

But a spokeswoman for Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says both parties have agreed the Government will use Aurora as a contractor instead.

I guess one just has to wonder why Aurora Energy has pulled out of the business deal that has been so widely touted as the next best thing for Australia?

Senator Conroy?

Sylvestor

Prime Minister Julia Gillard remains opposed to gay unions, putting her at odds with right-wing Labor powerbroker Mark Arbib.

Senator Arbib is the first frontbencher to say he believes his party should support gay marriage.

He says gay people should have the legal right to get married, and MPs should be given a conscience vote on the controversial matter.

"If I was the parent of a gay son or daughter I don't know how I could tell them they didn't have the same rights as I did," Mr Arbib told News Ltd papers.

"I understand the Labor Party platform does not reflect that view at the moment but I hope one day that view changes."

Ms Gillard said Senator Arbib was voicing his personal views and would need to raise the matter at the ALP's national conference if he wanted to change the party's current policy, which opposes gay unions.

"Mark has expressed his personal views and no doubt he will take them to the next national conference, which is the proper place to have this debate," Ms Gillard told reporters in Melbourne today.

"We have currently a party policy, the party policy's crystal clear, that marriage is between a man and a woman.

"That's what the marriage act says and that's how it should stay."

As a gay man, in a long term relationship, I am actually happy that our relationship is not defined by an act of parliament (legislation).  How do you married folk feel about that? If "marriage" is about love and commitment, what happens when you break THAT law? If its about religion, then why do we need law to define it?

Apart from all that, because, frankly, I don't really care if heterosexual (man and woman) couples need laws to define their relationships (bit sad really), more to the point, will Mark Arbib now move to destabilize the Gillard Prime Ministership as a result of this 'disagreement'? 

Afterall, he did it to Rudd over Mining taxes!

Sylvestor

Labor's internet filtering policy isn't being discussed in the run-up to the election but its impact on Australia is significant.

Championed by Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, the $30million+ filter is being sold by Labor as an internet block for child pornography, bestiality and extreme pornography with 'wide ranging support from the Australian public' and 'only minimal opposition against'.

But after a new, lengthy investigation it transpires that virtually none of this is true. What Australia will get from this internet filter is a framework for censorship that doesn't stop "the worst of the worst" but will absolutely curtail discussion on politically incorrect topics like euthanasia, safe drug taking and graffiti while banning relatively-tame adult content.

Firstly, yes, its a loooong analysis of the situation, but it is worth a read. If nothing else, the more information out there, the better, IMHO.

Secondly, its really about RC, Refused Classification, the basis for Senator Stephen Conroy's censorship paradigm. The unfortunate aspect is the lack of understanding by mainstream Australia as to the nature of 'RC'; also, one has to ask, does Senator Conroy understand 'RC' and, if so (as I assume he would), the only motivation is that of a controlling, agenda-laden and dangerous one.

And do not forget. The subject of the 'Internet Filter' may well be off the election campaign platform for the Australian Federal Labor Party, but, it is indeed still on the agenda if they are returned to govern. So much so, that re-electing Labor into Government will be seen, and used, as a 'clear mandate to progress' internet censorship in this country.

It would seem Senator Conroy, and hence, the Labor Federal Government, just don't want to see small boobs on the web. I guess it would detract from the bigger-boobs that sit in parliament!

Sylvestor

Edit: FYI - 10 researchers, working for 27 years, scouring the web for 'nasties' would still earn in excess of $120,000 each, for the same amount as being allocated to this policy of censorship! Hell, I'll take the job!