Labor push to give eSafety Commissioner even more invasive powers should worry any Australian who values freedom
Australia is heading down a dangerous path as the Albanese Government and its eSafety Commissioner work hand in hand to censor information it deems counterproductive to the left’s narrative, writes Douglas MacKinnon.
Australia is getting a bit of a blackeye over here in the United States as your Prime Minister and e-Safety Commissioner seemingly work hand in hand to obtain a worldwide ban of objectionable content on the internet.
The controversy has received a great deal of attention in the United States for several reasons.
First, because once again, some from the left are seeking to censor content.
Next, because Elon Musk called them out on it.
And last – and maybe of most interest to many over here – because Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner is an American.
What?
During the height of COVID, Australia seemed to have an endless supply of people on the left eager to censor its citizens, grab power, destroy jobs, mask infants and outlaw liberty.
Were none of them available to challenge for the job of eSafety Commissioner?
Were they waiting instead until the “Deny-All-Freedom Commissioner” job was posted or were they simply lacking the unwavering dictatorial qualifications such a position would entail?
Whatever the reason, Australia has an American as its eSafety Commissioner.
While that may not be news to most in your nation, it is a bit of a shock to many in the United States.
As far as I can tell, the mission of your eSafety Commissioner is to censor any “misinformation and disinformation” the left deems counterproductive to their narrative.
However she herself may describe her duties, that job is now in the hands of Julie Inman Grant.
Now, while Ms Grant – who many see as the “eCensor Enforcer” – may have been flying under the radar in the United States, that is not the case anymore.
Michael Shellenberger – who ran for governor in California, is a highly respected energy writer, and has over one million followers on his X site headlined “Defund the Thought Police” – has brought Ms Grant and her censoring front and center with a recent article on her.
An article which was picked up by multiple sites over here including the massively-read Drudge Report as well as highly influential “RealClearPolitics”.
It’s a site which is a must read for those in our Congress, the White House, various agencies, and the Trump campaign.
Shellenberger headlined his piece: “CIA Recruit is Pursuing Global Internet Censorship as ‘E-Safety’ Czar in Australia.”
His opening paragraph read: “American–born Julie Inman Grant is a key architect of the multigovernmental “Global Online Safety Regulators Network” to censor the speech that politicians and government bureaucrats fear.”
I have conversed with Shellenberger in the past on a number of topics and I can assure anyone that his voice is not only respected by a number of high-level Trump staffers, but sought out as well.
Staffers who work for a candidate many believe will be re-elected President come November.
Staffers who are now taking note of the actions of Prime Minister Albanese and Ms Grant.
This latest censorship dustup revolves around the stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel at a church in south-west Sydney.
Ms. Grant, the Prime Minister, and others demand that the video of that stabbing be censored.
Elon Musk, victim Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel himself, and others contend that the video should remain online and in context.
It is an issue which will be resolved by the courts.
That said, the calls by Ms Grant for censorship in this case reveal a more chilling path forward.
As Shellenberger further reported in his piece: “This global censorship body gives governments extraordinary power to invade privacy, explained Inman-Grant: ‘What this legislation will give us is the ability to compel basic device information and account information. And more and more and more social media companies are starting to collect phone numbers and email addresses so that our investigators can at least find a place to issue a notice or a takedown notice or infringement notice of some sort.’”
Wow.
“Our investigators.”
Will those “investigators” eventually have your phone number, your email and your address?
How long before Ms Grant and others have them pounding on your front door?
To that very possibility – and threat – Prime Minister Albanese was asked whether the eSafety Commissioner would be granted stronger powers?
He replied that the government was looking at what steps could be taken.
In other words, more invasive powers are surely on the way.
To all anti-censorship, freedom-loving Australians, I would like to offer my sincere apology for your nation’s eSafety Commissioner being from America.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official. He is the author of ‘The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence’.
