Anti-Labour website hears electoral watchdog's warning
alt tv/fleet fm breakfast news
Anti-Labour website hears electoral watchdog's warning
A 21-year-old who set up a website urging people to vote against Labour has been contacted by the Electoral Commission because he is not complying with provisions of the controversial new Electoral Finance Act. Andrew Moore set up the www.dontvotelabour.org.nz website on the final day of 2007 after coming up with the idea while doing some dishes at home. The site highlights particular issues related to Labour, including the passing of so-called anti-smacking laws, the Electoral Finance Act, and funding cuts to the Southern Institute of Technology which Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt has spoken out against. But Mr Moore's website falls foul of the Electoral Finance Act because he has not included a name and address on it.
Andrew Moore believes that he shouldn’t have to put his name and address on his smear site as it is a ‘breach of his freedom of speech’ – really? How? Transperancy in democratic process is fundamental, you can’t have anonymous media attacking parties the way we did with Nationals mates the Exclusive Brethren, you want to be an attack dog for the right, you gotta be registered, that all said I don’t agree with muzzling and the act actually leaves blogs out, so what clown boy Andrew needs to do is change his site from dontvotelabour.org to a blogsite and he gets to do his petulant stompy whale-oil-esk rich white undergrad thing there. Give Andy a cuddle and a shopping voucher to Newmarket and he’ll be fine.
posted by Bomber @ 7:05 am
16 comments
16 Comments:
This kind of attitude is indicative of why labour are behind in the polls - treating people who exercise their democratic rights to have an alternative opinion like shit.
Keep up the good work.
Why should he have to change it to a blog site, what makes blogs so special? (apart from the obvious excemption in the act)...
How is it that a blog is less of a "corrupt practise" than an ordinary website.
...
I'm thinking that there is a difference between expressing an opinion and advertising an opinion? The act leaves blog sites out, I guess with blogs you can post an alternative opinion where as a site is just an online advert?
Well its not really anonymous now it can be searched online and the author found, so on that point the intent of the act is actually being complied with in an oblique sort of way (though not legally).
However I differ in opinion over this with my co-blogger.
Mike E: Yes, I think the blog/other dichotomy is splitting hairs really. If Moore had put "this is a blog" at the top or had put a date on it then it would not be an issue would it? I suppose, as Mr Bradbury indicates, the idea is about an expression of opinion that is genuine and therefore unpaid. But, if no-one has actually paid for it and it is a personal opinion (obviously Moore doesn't like Labour whether he ever got paid 1 cent for those ads or not - there is no question about it being genuine is there?) then isn't this actually a very good example of why the EFA is unfair. Fundamentally unfair.
There are people, like Idiot/Savant (No Right Turn) who treasure their anonymity and there are people in all sorts of sensitive positions (private and public sector) who are unable to express themselves politically in their own name because of their employer relationship. This is a serious issue even though it may only affect a minority of politically active people in this country.
I'm most definitely not putting Moore up there with Thomas Paine or anything, but there is a place for anonymous pamphleteers. It would be handy if all information had an author tag, but it is not necessary for our democracy to function properly.
"..you want to be an attack dog for the right, you gotta be registered.."
What a disgraceful statement to make!
Because a spurious act introduced by the corrupt Labour government, he has to register?
I should be able to voice my opinion (left/right/centre) WITHOUT having to register with anyone. It's called freedom of speech, something hated by the illiberal left.
Hey, if transparency is fundamental to democratic process as you say, why have secret ballots? Voting is at the heart of the democratic process, surely.
It is funny seeing Bomber dancing on the head of a pin over the nature of an online publication. Apparently the government needs to be in the business of defining exactly what constitutes a valid blog, or advert, or online news source, etc ad infinitum. It's amazing how quickly you can tie yourself up in knots once you depart from the fundamental, simple, and fair position of free speech.
And all so unnecessary because nobody is forcing you to click that link and read the content. Amazingly you can just ignore it along with the millions of other websites you will never look at. It would have been just another partisan website with low traffic had it not been made MSM newsworthy because of the EFA.
The transparency idea is a red herring. Not only is the identity of a person(s) logically irrelevant to the content of any message they happen to be conveying but does anyone actually think a "Paid for by Mr. Low-level Functionary" message gives any real benefit to the reader? I see it as just another impediment for people wanting to speak their mind.
Nice one Bomber, I knew your true colours would come out eventually.
And I thought you were against heavy handed authoritarianism? All you care about is killing any right wing debate and your dodgy Alt Tv channel.. got rid of those nasty weather girls yet?
Why ought any speech be labelled with the author's name and address? Surely the people of NZ are sensible enough to place different weights on anonymously written materials and materials with clearly labelled authors. I would prefer to see candid opinions which I take with a grain of salt than opinions potentially censored by fear of the state or one's employer etc.
LOL
The greater National's lead in the polls the more shrill the fatman's voice becomes. It's a great indicator of how desperate Bombers become that he wants to shutdown any anti Labour debate - just look at his attitude to Tim Shadbolt.
I guess he had to become a mainstream labour supporter now that all his 'activist' friends have washed their hands of him.
"LOL" FUCKEN A BRO!
gee I guess after ( how many years in the wilderness ?????????) all these years the natianals are getting all excited at the prospect of getting back into govt.
Although they do seem to be having a bit of a wet dream about governing alone.
....... they wont, they will need a coalition partner ( or two ) and if the last natianal mmp govt was anything to go by they better get ready for a very short stint in power.
eventually the countrys demographics will make the natianals an irrelevence.
old greedy whites will have had their day.
"eventually the countrys demographics will make the natianals an irrelevence."
true, every skilled and hardworking kiwi is leaving for Oz. Soon only the dregs like native will be left.
THE MINTO BAR WAS BEST MATES WITH MEURANT REMEMBER AND HE THINKS SHADBOLTS A TRAITOR JUST LIKE BOMBER WAS OVER THE TUHOE NATION.SO THE INFIGHTING BEGINS AND IT'S DIVIDE AND RULE THE OLD TACTICS OF THE RULING ELITE GETTING US TO CUT OUR OWN THROATS WHILE THEY TAKE THE NEW TRIPLE SEVEN FOR A TEST RUN DOWN THE RUNWAY.RICH PRICKS AND SCUMBAGS AND SO SAY ALL OF US...
"Transperancy in democratic process is fundamental"
Couldn't agree more, the sooner Labour gets rid of the secret ballot the more open and honest elections will be.
Why should it be compulsory for me to put my family and home at risk if I wish to make a point that is seen to be pro-something or anti-something?
If my website was a heavily modified blog with only a limited number of posts, and links to the posts in the sidebar - oh yeah, it would be ok then.
Give me liberty or give me death.
They're not shutting me down mate.
Post a Comment
<< Home