US Ambassador Critical of Australia's Online Censorship Plan

Australia and America a world away and yet they are embroiled in a bitter argument over the internet censorship issue which includes online gambling sites. The American Ambassador to Australia has made some headlines recently in down under. "The US ambassador is the latest to join the swelling ranks opposing the scheme, which now include Google, Yahoo, Save The Children, Reporters Without Borders, The Greens, Senator Nick Xenophon, and shadow treasurer Joe Hockey," Chief Executive of the online activist group GetUp, Simon Sheikh, said, The censorship attempts, which involve ISPs blocking a suspect blacklist supplied by an Australian government communications agency have raised the ire of the Obama administration. The Sydney Morning Herald and a few other major newspapers in Australia reported that the US ambassador to Australia, Jeff Bleich criticised the Rudd government's internet filtering proposal, saying the same goals can be achieved without this kind of censorship. Bleich said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "We have been able to accomplish the goals that Australia has described, and we have other means to combat bad content and we are willing to share our efforts with them ... it's an ongoing conversation." Bleich continued, "The internet needs to be free. It needs to be free the way we have said the skies have to be free, outer space has to be free, the polar caps have to be free, the oceans have to be free. They're shared resources of all the people of the world." Sheikh, supported Bleich’s comments, calling on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to "step in and end this farce". Sheikh, added, "Over 120,000 Australians have joined GetUp's campaign against the internet filter, and polls show 86 per cent of Australians are concerned about the government's internet filter plans." Queensland Liberal Senator Sue Boyce has demanded that the government be more forthcoming with the content of its “talks” with the United States on the issue. Communication Minister Stephen Conroy is still very much committed to the proposed filtering plan stating, "This is a modest measure, which reflects long-held community standards about the type of content that is unacceptable in a civilised society,"