The Queensland Times editorial prompting this letter. Return to "Making the News".
Att: The Editor
Queensland Times
Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your editorial (21/8) headed ‘Net Games’.
As the individual responsible for first discovering the direct unsavoury link between the Australian Labor Party and extreme left wing groups on the Internet I feel it necessary to debunk your claim that my original allegation is nothing but a ‘net game’.
As the ALP is the political arm of the ACTU we can draw the simple conclusion that what the ACTU support the ALP support. The ACTU ‘links page’ on the Internet lists LEFT LINK as one of its Australian national organisations. (ie a direct organisational link between the two).
If we were to bring this example into a hypothetical work scenario Left Link would be compared to an employee working within an establishment. That employee should follow guidelines implemented by that organisation. (eg Workplace safety etc...) If a recalcitrant ‘employee’ breaks those rules or continues to do so he/she should be at least reprimanded or fired. The material carried by LEFT LINK is threatening and violent against democracy as well as the Australian way of life - ie LEFT LINK is the extreme left wing example of the Nazi Party - and the ACTU recognise it as a ‘national organisation’ - and yes, they and the ALP should be condemned as they have not, even now, distanced themselves from this association.
Where an employee makes contact (links) with clients and other people not associated with the business, just like in the example you gave of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation being ‘under 8 clicks from the band Poison’, the association is non-existent and ceased to be long ago. The ‘employees’ have no control over what is seen outside the organisation by other people they meet... and neither should they - this is what you refer to as the ‘free and open exchange of ideas’ on the Internet.
There is a chasm between the two examples as I am sure most readers will realise. Left Link has been instrumental in publicising Lorenzo Ervin, violent protests at One Nation meetings (including Dandenong) and lists all sorts of extreme organisations and groups. The ACTU cannot excuse Left Link’s behaviour on this issue. As an example I will cite the example given to me by lawyers Mallesons Stephen Jaques: K-Mart fired its web master when he linked K-Mart’s corporate site to his personal web pages which contained links to other web sites featuring pornographic material.
I will issue out the challenge to the ALP once again to provide me with a local public forum, a phone line and power and I will demonstrate exactly what I mean - let the people be the judge. Don’t tell me the ALP are scared to take up my simple challenge.
Scott Balson, Karana Downs
The Queensland Times editorial prompting this letter. Return to "Making the News".