Australia

It is far more dangerous for newspapers to print defamatory, racist lies about 19 individuals. What do some of you have against getting FACTS in newspapers? Dishonesty and lying in a racist, defamatory way about 19 individuals is what is dangerous. Please tell me: dishonest, defamatory, racist journalism serves what end, exactly?

Freedom of speech is OTHER to that of LYING and DEFAMING 19 people for RACIST aims.

 

It is offence under s 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

It is racism.

And it is an offence under s 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act because Bolt used defamation, hence forfeiting the defences contained in s18D of the Racial Discrimination Act. His comments were not "fair" and "in good faith". They were defamatory and racist.

 

Funny how stupid Americans are. Your post is a good reminder

We are discussing the legislated limitations to "free speech" which prevent defamation and racist comment.

WTF are you talking about?

 

I'm starting to be swayed. All of the Aussies in this thread, with the exceptions of Gwendolyn and Mak and maybe one or two others, don't seem capable of expressing their opinions without being hateful and ugly. There also seems to be a mean streak of disdain for people that are different from yourselves, compulsive xenophobia if you will. Maybe you guys do need some kind of leash such as this silly act to keep you in line. I'll think it over.

 

Okay, I've thought it over and I stand by my original assertion that this law is dumb and should be stricken. Free speech is too important to be restricted just to keep a handful of ignorant, xenophobic rubes from shooting their mouths off.

 

That is a far comment made in good faith. No problems for you with the Act.

Do you really feel that "free speech" is somehow curtailed?

 

It sounds like discrimination laws in Australia are way past any reasonable extent.

 

Now you need to explain to us why preventing defamation is "restricting" free speech. Who has had their "free speech" restricted in any way?


Are you trying to tell us that defamation is legal in the US?

 

Why? Bolt would not have broken them if he had not been defamatory.

Are you saying you don't have laws against defamation in the USA?

 

How do you know it wasn't? Are you a telepath?

 

Our defamation laws tend to be a lot more restricted in scope.

The most that can be done oftentimes is suing the offender. These cases have mixed results though.

Most of the time, defamation cases are limited to defaming an individual. It's harder to sue someone over defaming a group.

 

Got this inna email...

Australia tourist questions
These were posted on an Australian Tourism Website and the answers
are the actual responses by the website officials,
who obviously have a great sense of humour
(not to mention a low tolerance threshold for cretins!)
__________________________________________________
Q: Does it ever get windy in Australia ? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).
A :We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.
__________________________________________________
Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )
Aepends how much you've been drinking.
__________________________________________________
Q:I want to walk from Perth to Sydney - can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden )
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.
__________________________________________________
Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you send me a list of them in Brisbane , Cairns , Townsville and Hervey Bay ? ( UK )
A: What did your last slave die of?
__________________________________________________
Q:Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia ? ( USA )
A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe.
Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not
... Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
Q:Which direction is North in Australia ? ( USA )
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.
_________________________________________________
Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )
A:Why? Just use your fingers like we do...
__________________________________________________
Q:Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is
Oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
__________________________________________________
Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )
A: You are a British politician, right?
__________________________________________________
Q:Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers.
Milk is illegal.
__________________________________________________
Qlease send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from.
All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
__________________________________________________

Q:I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them.
You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
__________________________________________________
Q:I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? ( USA )
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
__________________________________________________
Qo you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? ( France )
A: Only at Christmas.
__________________________________________________
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

 

A few of my European relatives and American friends have actually asked me (when planning their trip to Perth) if we could go for a drive to Sydney on Sunday afternoon.

And, I was asked by a teenager from London if we celebrate Christmas Day in June (because that's the start of our winter). She honestly believed that Christmas was celebrated in winter all around the world.

These are true stories.

 

Actually the kangaroo in the steet question is not so stupid. Since isolated pockets of roos do survive in suburban Perth, (some less than 10 km from the city centre) they do appear occasionaly in the streets in summer seeking water.

 

What is the best defence against roos in a bar fight?

 

Is Australia's climate like Maui's in the summer?

 

Only in Tasmania

 

Depends where you are, summer temps can be as high as 50c. In Perth we can get mid 40s but the heat is generally dry and sucks the moisture out of you without you knowing it. The further north you get the more humid. Places like Darwin and Broome can be disgustingly humid and hot in summer.

 

Try and grab them by the tail and swing them round, we call this fighting move "the propellor"

 

OJ was acquitted, that doesn't me he wasn't guilty only the Prosecutions failure to prove the case against him to a biased jury.

Here's one back at ya, how can Australia cram 2000 illegal immigrants into a prison camp (Christmas Island) meant to hold 800 and still criticize others?

 

OJ was found not guilty in a criminal court and guilty in a civil court. The question stands.

Too easy, double bunking. Next.

 

I already answered your question in my previous post

You didn't answer.

how can Australia cram 2000 illegal immigrants into a prison camp (Christmas Island) meant to hold 800 and still criticize others?

 

Well - they don't cram 2000 illegal immigrants into a prison camp (Christmas Island) meant to hold 800.

They cram 2000 asylum seekers into a prison camp (Christmas Island) meant to hold 800. They have not done anything illegal.

They do this because a racist conservative government decided that it would be a good idea to turn asylum seekers into political pawns. And the subsequent Labor government has continued these appalling policies.

We all share your disgust.

 

No, you didnt. You disputed the veracity of my clam that OJ was found not guilty in a crminal court. I have proven he was.

Yes, I did answer. Double bunking is how this is acheived, the same as they do in the also overcrowded american prison system.

 

Good post.

And yes, we all share the disgust.