These are all scurrilous assertions with no evidence in support.
The 2-year data retention proposal was only ever a Part C topic for submissions. What 'distancing from'? What speech in August? Her September 4 speech affirmed the obvious need for some data retention but made no mention of the 2-year proposal. The letter to The Herald Sun maintained the line that the Government had made no commitment. And the YouTube video affirmed that this is an open inquiry with no decision yet taken.
Nothing strange, nothing inconsistent and certainly nothing "disingenuous" whatsoever. There is, however, a discernable tone of exasperation in Roxon's voice at having to deal with so many media misrepresentations.
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Breheny claims that "Proposals like this should never be considered in a free society. Data retention is the kind of policy implemented by totalitarian regimes."
Also pure imagination. Every nation faces real security threats. Every developed Western democracy is striving to have effective data retention measures to deal with these.
National security is always a divisive and emotive issue. To indulge in such distortions does a profound disservice to the difficult deliberations in Parliament. And in the wider community.
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About the Author
Alan Austin is an Australian freelance journalist currently based in Nîmes in the South of France. His special interests are overseas development, Indigenous affairs and the interface between the religious communities and secular government. As a freelance writer, Alan has worked for many media outlets over the years and been published in most Australian newspapers. He worked for eight years with ABC Radio and Television’s religious broadcasts unit and seven years with World Vision. His most recent part-time appointment was with the Uniting Church magazine Crosslight.
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