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Comment by brotchie | Hacker News Reader

I met with him recently and chatted one-on-one for an hour about Australia's broadband policy. I was very impressed by his technical knowledge as well as the manner in which he communicated it.

He spends a lot of time on Whirlpool (Australian broadband forums) and interacts with the community. I feel a sorry regarding how the media is almost universally anti-NBN (National Broadband Network). The current uptake rates for the NBN are impressive: hockey stick, yet the media go on about asbestos or whatever gets more views / clicks.

On the Labor side of politics I don't think there's anybody that could continue championing the NBN like he has.

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He's pro filtering and censorship, a very dangerous and unpopular policy. To the point where he's willing to go against 90% of the population either because he wants to force his point of view on people or is willing to pander to an incredibly opinionated minority for votes.

No matter what else you do, that characteristic doesn't belong in a representative democracy.

The opposition leader (Abbott) is worse on the matter - see RU486, but two wrongs don't make a right, and it's a great thing that he's gone.

Well I hope they find one who isn't so keen on repression of communication, on game and film censorship, secret blocklists and all the other stuff.

The NBN thing is good. Pretty much everything else out of the mans mouth has been "We know what's best for you"

Not impressed with him in the slightest, and he'd be criticised severely if in an American context and the mechanisms shown in this link were noticed.

Lurking on Whirlpool isn't a skill required for championing sensible communications policy.

http://powerhouse.theglobalmail.org/the-australian-governmen...

> I feel a sorry regarding how the media is almost universally anti-NBN (National Broadband Network)

The media (especially Murdoch's group, which part owns FoxTel) is threatened by fast broadband.

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