Stephen CONROY, currently acting as Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, is way off base in his role. In government, certain roles should, and are, only allowed to be given to certain people. Such as the Surgeon General who has training and/or was a practising doctor or surgeon. The Attorney General has training and/or was a practising lawyer. So I believe, something so critical in today's modern world, you need an experienced technology consultant as Minister for Broadband and the Digital Economy.

First off, let's have a quick, overly simplistic look at that role. Minister for:

• Broadband: This would include dial up as well. Internet access that anyone can get if they so wanted. Quite important nowadays.
• Communications: Phones, Faxes, Mobiles, Email, SMS, Radio and anything else I might have missed. Some are highly critical services and every one of us probably uses at least one of the above every day. Except for Luddites obviously.
• Digital Economy: Just how much effort and authority do you need to make sure that banks offer internet banking and people can use their credit cards to make purchases at online stores? I'll save you the effort; it needs none. The "Digital Economy" part is a superfluous addition designed to impress those who do not know any better. Usually anyone with a lower level of technical expertise in computers. Do not take that as an insult as that includes 90% of computer users. Let me put it this way; if you have an iPhone and don't know about or maybe even heard about the term "jailbreak", then you are who I'm talking about. Hey, not everyone needs to know how to tinker with technology, and there is no problem with that. Keeps computer technicians and specialists in business.

In 2007, Kevin Rudd and the Labor party went to the polls with an optional filter. This filter would be mandatory for internet service providers to offer and implement, but optional for the users. Mere days before everyone went to the polls, it was quietly and quickly changed to a mandatory filter. Mandatory for internet providers to implement, and offer, and mandatory for all users to be subjected to. This, is what the outcry is about.

So let us look at the filter. First off, even though 95% of the Australian population do not want it, why is he still pushing for it? I believe it is because Stephen CONROY, in his ignorance, thought the idea would fly straight and be pushed through by the public support, and got whiplash from the shock when we found out that they do not want it. He has now forced himself into a political corner from which he can not escape. He had the opportunity to several times, but he opened his mouth and showed his ignorance which pushed him further back. "It is better to be thought stupid than to open your mouth and remove the benefit of doubt", advice that CONROY did not heed.

So, why does he keep burying himself deeper and deeper into his (troll?) hole? If he were to turn around, know the technical aspects of why it wont work and reveal how it helps rather than hinder paedophiles, puts children at risk and lures parents and guardians into a false sense of security, it would be the end of his political career. The axes would come out before he had even finished speaking and his head would roll. In fact, it would happen so quickly, it would occur in something that slightly resembles a blur of motion. This is logical speculation and an educated guess of course. Any other explanation would surely be involving the police. There is a good reason why they are not involved in helping to take down sites on his supposed list of Child Pornography. A very good reason, which we shall look at in a later post.

I have tried to keep opinion out of his, for the sake of good debate and argument, and not resorted to personal attacks. Yes, I know Stephen CONROY has engaged in them repeatedly against people he knows very well have a vastly better understanding of the subject matter, but I will try not to stoop down to his level. "Play the game, not the man" is the term. But why has he not debated properly on this with anyone? That is an open question to Stephen CONROY, "Why haven't you engaged in a fair and open debate, discussing the technological, moral, ethical and ideological aspects and concerns of the proposed mandatory internet filter?"

So, we have someone in a very important ministerial position who does not understand anything of his department, blatantly ignores his advisors, publicly ignores and then ridicules many experienced industry experts (even tried to silence one critic by complaining to their employer) and is pushing ahead on a plan that 90+% of Australia does not want, and have even indicated as such through some of the largest web-based polls ever seen in our biggest mainstream media sources.

So the next question might be; what's the go Mr. CONROY? All advisors tell you this wont work, all industry experts are saying it will fail miserably, it will help the bad guys, be a kick in the face for parents and will be a complete waste of several million dollars. It is not because of a back room deal with the Australian Christian Lobby is it?