Communications Minister Stephen Conroy tonight said he had not had any direct contact with US Government officials over Australia’s controversial internet filtering plans, despite reports the US had raised the issue directly with the Federal Government.

News Ltd blog The Punch has reported that US State Department spokesman Noel Clay said the US has raised concerns on the matter with Australian officials. The US has been broadly critical of countries implementing internet censorship regimes.

“Well, I’ve seen those concerns, [but] I haven’t had any direct contact with the US State Department,” Conroy said on the ABC’s Radio National Australia Talks program tonight.

“I saw the reports in the morning papers. My department I don’t believe has been directly contacted. They maybe are speaking to the Department of Foreign Affairs — but I was unaware until I saw this morning’s news reports of any approaches at all at this stage.”

Conroy said Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith hadn’t raised the issue with him. “It could be that it just hasn’t been passed through,” he said. “I haven’t had a briefing from the Department of Foreign Affairs.”

The news comes as Conroy has increasingly appeared in the media — on TV and radio shows particularly — in recent weeks to talk about the filter issue.

Legislation on the matter has been postponed, and some, such as Greens Senator Scott Ludlam, believe the associated bill will not be introduced into Parliament until the next Federal election.

Labor Senator Kate Lundy has been attempting to convince Labor figures to back an amendment to the bill that would make the filter opt-in instead of mandatory.

However, Conroy appeared to pour cold water on the idea tonight, saying the Government didn’t provide opt-in measures to other forms of media, and that the internet was not a special medium.

Image credit: Office of Stephen Conroy

Related posts:

1. Boyce queries Conroy, Smith on US filter concerns
2. Did the US State Dept merely query filter policy?
3. Filter: Conroy to debate EFA, Newton tonight
4. Conroy: EFA deliberately misled public on filter
5. Turnbull wireless complaints getting “tedious”: Conroy

1. Troff
   Posted 30/03/2010 at 11:21 am | Permalink | Reply

   How is the Internet not a special medium?

   Would even cable TV give me access to a potential 250^4 channels? Can I produce my own television through such cable? Can I watch what I want, when I want without the need of some “time-shifting” recording device?

   Does Conroy even know what the Internet IS?

2. Dirk Flinthart
   Posted 30/03/2010 at 5:24 pm | Permalink | Reply

   Hmm. I do believe we have a federal election in the offing. I wonder if we can do for the egregious Senator Conroy what we did for Atty-General Atkinson in South Australia? Do you think Conroy’s seat would be safe from a 14% swing?

   I wonder whether Senator Conroy has considered that? I certainly have.

   • Renai LeMay
     Posted 30/03/2010 at 5:26 pm | Permalink | Reply

     Well it would be pretty hard to target Conroy specifically Dirk — he’s a senator so he doesn’t have one seat per se — just the whole of Victoria.

     • Stuart
       Posted 31/03/2010 at 12:44 pm | Permalink | Reply

       If you cannot kill the General, then kill his army.

       Conroy is a major figure in the ALP and is clearly loved by Rudd, we won’t be getting his scalp. We can cut the ALP’s knees off however – the strategy should be to remove as many of them as possible. If they cannot get the votes to pass legislation, then it won’t matter how secure Conroy is – they won’t be able to govern.

3. By US-Australia Tensions Rise Over Net Filter | JetLib News on 30/03/2010 at 8:00 pm

   [...] Government. However, last night, Australia’s Communications Minister Stephen Conroy denied he had had any approach from US State Department [...]

4. By Firefox Tab Purge #3 « Thinkers' Podium on 30/03/2010 at 11:18 pm

   [...] It seems that our friends over in the US aren’t particularly impressed with the planned Internet Filter. And apparently Conroy hasn’t got the message. [...]

5. By US “Concerned” with Aussie Net Filter on 31/03/2010 at 3:00 am

   [...] “Well, I’ve seen those concerns, [but] I haven’t had any direct contact with the US State Department,” he said. [...]

6. By US – The guardian for freedom of speech | Programmer P.O.V. on 31/03/2010 at 3:01 am

   [...] Government. However, last night, Australia’s Communications Minister Stephen Conroy denied he had had any approach from US State Department [...]

7. Steve
   Posted 31/03/2010 at 9:31 am | Permalink | Reply

   Conroy is a liar, fire him!

8. Whats next
   Posted 01/04/2010 at 2:46 am | Permalink | Reply

   This time it’s the internet he is wanting to censor can anyone imagine what’s next on his agenda. This is very unsettling to me and it should be to those that have the ability to reason for themselves.

9. David Gray
   Posted 06/04/2010 at 12:36 am | Permalink | Reply

   A concerted anti filter effort during Obamas visit here would be the ticket …..