JUST 38 Senators are needed to block Anthony Albanese’s so-called Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024, NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick told a rally in Sydney last Saturday.
“We could by Christmas living under this (censorship) regime. That means Australia will not be Australia any more, it will be called Alboralia – big government telling you what you can and cannot say. In the event it gets to that point I want to say the underground resistance will start on Day One, and I’m very lucky because I can say whatever the hell I want in the State Parliament,” said Ruddick.
So far there are 33 Senators who will vote against the Bill, following the announcement by the Coalition that they would oppose it, leaving only five more to block it. But it is certain that Labor’s political mafia will be in the ears of the 15 Green and Independent Senators plus Jack Lambie, offering 30 pieces of silver to sell their souls by voting yes.
The 10 Greens, of course, who have totalitarian tendencies, will be willing to leverage all sorts of deals by threatening to vote no.
There are six independent Senators, but effectively five undecided, as the new Independent Senator Gerard Rennick will be a certainty to vote no. But the remaining 10 Greens and Jackie Lambie are prime candidates to take a Labor Party bribe in the form of some legislative amendment, grant or other political favour.
This coming vote will be the ultimate test to see if there are Greens and Independents who care about free speech and have principles. They could suprise, but don’t hold your breath. The five “independent” Senators are David Pocock (ACT), Fatima Payman (WA), Lidia Thorpe (Vic), Tammy Tyrell (Tas.), and David Van (Vic.). Anyone wanting to contact these senators can get contact details at this site: https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/~/~/media/972C67136DC0488CB81E78611B907282.ashx
