Comments on: iiNet to Cover Tech Wired’s $3,631.99 Freedom of Information Request

By: Internet Filtering: Why Stephen Conroy cannot be trusted | OzSoapbox

Internet Filtering: Why Stephen Conroy cannot be trusted | OzSoapbox — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 13:18:26 +0000

[...] communication and updates in the months following the submission of the report, TechWired put in a request under the freedom of information act to see the report. The request cost $3631.99 and was backed by [...]

By: Blogger Profile: Ben Grubb

Blogger Profile: Ben Grubb — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:04:58 +0000

[...] recently shocked fellow bloggers when, after recieving a $3600 application fee for a Freedom of Information request, he was able to [...]

By: Peter Moore

Peter Moore — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:01:21 +0000

In all this NBN B.S.
Who’s looking out for the blokes like me.
The small operators who will actually construct this thing.
Because, we will be TOLD,(by the eventual winning bidder ) how much we’ll be paid to do this, even if it doesn’t cover our real expenses.
Where is our opportunity to say what this will cost, on the ground. NOT some egghead in an ivory tower.Estimating from a computer model with no regard to actual onsite conditions, or poorly designed construction packs, requiring re-design by us on the ground (which we dont currently get paid for),de-mobilization & then re-mobilization.(all the extra man hours & assoc. over heads that again, we dont currently get paid for ).
THIS INDUSTRY ACTUALLY NEEDS A ROYAL COMMISSION OR SOMETHING.
ITS THE ONLY INDUSTRY I KNOW WHERE THE CUSTOMER, TELLS THE CONTRACTOR,HOW MUCH A JOB IS WORTH.
********ALL OUR CONTRACTS REQUIRE FULL DISCLOSURE SO SHOULD THERE’S.*******

By: Gavin Turner

Gavin Turner — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:44:36 +0000

Glad to see someone bankrolled this, was considering donating if it got to that.

Question is why didn’t someone try this earlier?, we could have nearly had it by now.

I agree that they will probably delay it and we wont see it much if any sooner then the official release but its worth a shot and the moral points for “sticking it to the man” are just too hard to pass up.

The one thing i don’t get is how is withholding the document advantages to the process? the only one its advantages is Senator Conroy from avoiding almost certain ridicule because it will probably point out how much of a ignorant bumbling fool he is. If it was transparent as we all agree it should be it would encourage huge debate and constructive input on a project that is set to spend 4.7billion of our hard earned dollars. Instead we are left leaving our useless conroy who cant even answer questions he has been given fore warning about in parliament to make a decision.

the whole thing stinks to high hell.

By: zach moore

zach moore — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:57:38 +0000

thanks iinet makes it all that more worth it for signing up for the better plan and sending more money your way because you guys seem to be sending it in the right direction.

By: MrHasBean

MrHasBean — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:31:35 +0000

@Michael Meloni: I wouldn’t expect to see anything come of this in the media, just like fuel being $1.20 a litre when oil is the price it was and our dollar is as strong as it was when fuel was around 75c a litre receives no REAL attention from the media. Media is big business, and big business determines who is in government. Stuff only ever gets real media coverage if there is financial benefit to the corporations who own the media.

People believing there are terrorists on every plane and pedophiles on every street corner keeps them in their homes watching the McDonalds and Coca-Cola ads and the propaganda driven “news” stories, and shows like CSI that reinforce what a bad place it is out there in the world. Police Commissioners telling people they don’t have the budget to combat gang violence keeps people in their homes to protect their homes, and while they’re there they will again watch that box in the corner.

Petrol dropping by 40c a litre suddenly put an extra $10 to $20 per vehicle back in people’s pockets, and with interest rates dropping and their home repayments falling Joe and Joanne Lunchbucket were again starting to venture out now and then, so all of a sudden the price of fuel goes back up and at the same time grocery prices are on the increase. Coincidence? Maybe.

So what about this internet filter. Presently browsing the internet is (relatively) open. You can comment and discuss whatever you like really, and see or hear views from just about anyone. More and more people are using the internet as a means of entertainment. In doing this they are no longer watching the McDonalds or Coca-Cola ads on TV. Corporate and media alert bells start chiming – “We will lose millions in advertising revenue!!!” they wail. “How can we stop this?” Little propeller-head in the corner sticks his head up and says “If the internet was REALLY slow nobody would want to use it as much, they’d go back to just using it for email, booking stuff and maybe buying the occasional thing, and when we filter all the stuff in the office here the ‘net gets really slow”. Big corporate boss, rubbing hands with glee says “Ok, find me some idiot in a high powered job who we can get to push a barrow of protecting the kids by filtering the internet and we’ll be back in business boys!!!” Nine months after said person is royally f*%^ed by the corporations we have the birth of a brand new baby legislation.

You won’t see anything in the media Michael ’cause it is they who will benefit most from this…

By: MrHasBean

MrHasBean — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:40:19 +0000

@InAweofHasBean: heck no, if I was to have something like that I’d make way too many politically incorrect comments and probably disappear in the middle of the night to some ASIO facility somewhere deep in the bowels of the country never to been heard from again. I have a family to think about!

Sadly Joe and Joanne Lunchbucket believe the total drivel they are fed each day via the propaganda agents working through our media because its a lot easier to just sit back and believe it than to actually think about it and work out that it isn’t logical. Our governments know and use this to their advantage – heck none of them would ever get into power if more people actually used that squishy grey goop between their ears for more than deciding “McDonalds or KFC tonight”…

By: Steve Dalby

Steve Dalby — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:06:33 +0000

That’s a shocker of a photo, but getting past that, I’m guessing the FOI process from here will probably be that the department will consult with anybody that has contributed to the 900 page document, any organisation whose comments are quoted and any other stakeholder and ask whether they agree to their material being released.

That’ll take some time, probably until the day after it was theoretically going to be released anyway, or maybe sometime after Christmas. Most of it will be censored.

That tells a story in itself of the transparancy of this saga, where gags are the order of the day, and the man in the street has to spend $3,631.99 to find out how and where the government is spending $4.7 billion of his taxes.

My question is –
Has this been an ‘open and transparent’ exercise as per the Minister’s assertion? –

“The competitive assessment process will be open and transparent, with opportunities for industry and community input.”

Nope.

By: Michael Meloni

Michael Meloni — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:29:56 +0000

Good to see iiNet coming on board with this. Nice work Ben and I look forward to seeing the result. More action from TWAU than what we’ve seen from some of the major papers.

By: InAweofHasBeen

InAweofHasBeen — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:19:39 +0000

Loving your commentary on this MrHasBeen! Do you have a blog/twitter, BOOK! or something!