An Unfetterd [Forget about Free!] Press?

Last night saw the awarding of the 2005 Walkely Awards for those in the media. There were many worthy recipients among the winners. Thank God for the ABC and SBS. TV would, otherwise, be a wasteland.

At the same time as the annual Awards are being handed out we now know that the Federal Government's anti-terrorism laws are a matter of fact - sedition laws and all.
We enter unchartered waters but the apprehension the media will now face will undoubtedly reflect itself in what we are told and see. True free speech, if we ever had it, will almost certainly be a thing of the past. With Ruddock as Attorney-General one would not feel comfortable that our rights are being preserved nothwithstanding the platitudes from John Howard and Ruddock.

As always, Richard Ackland, has an insightful article in today's SMH, on the whole topic.

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Mahler's Prodigal Son

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