World's biggest Luddite ‘factually incorrect’ over porn claim

An Australian cyber rights group has been allowed to publish a right to reply in official parliamentary records after complaining that comments made about the organisation during a debate were "factually incorrect".

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc - a non-profit national organisation representing Internet users concerned with on-line freedoms and rights - was incensed following remarks made about it by the World's Biggest Luddite, Senator Richard Alston, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, and Senator Brian Harradine, during a debate over amendments to Australian freedom of information laws.

Specifically, the EFA wanted to put the record straight after Senator Harradine stated that the outfit was "the spokespeople of the porn industry".

Senator Alston described the EFA as the "ultimate doctrinaire libertarians" and that it supported "unrestricted access to offensive material in all its manifestations". He added that the EFA does "not believe in trying to find a sensible way of dealing with offensive material on the Internet".

In its submission to a special parliamentary committee the EFA wrote: "All these allegations are unsubstantiated and false.

"The Senators' remarks impugn our individual good characters, reputations, honesty and integrity, and those of the thousands of members and supporters of the organisation we represent. In addition, the Senators' remarks are factually incorrect."

The EFA's detailed submission can be read here ®

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