Australia and America may be continents apart, but they are currently engaged in increasingly bitter wrangling over Internet censorship matters, including those related to online gambling websites. The American Ambassador assigned to Australia has recently been making a series of headlines in Australia with his opposition to Australia’s censorship scheme.

“The American Ambassador is just the latest person to join the ever-growing ranks of those in opposition to the scheme. The list of opponents now includes Yahoo, Google, Reporters Without Borders, Save the Children, The Greens, shadow treasurer Joe Hockey and Senator Nick Xenohpon,” according to Simon Sheik, the chief executive of GetUp, an online activist group.

The Australian government’s censorship plans, which include Internet service providers blocking a suspect blacklist contributed by an Australian Government Communications Agency, have certainly caused raised hackles among the Obama Administration. Along with several other leading newspapers in Australia the Sydney Morning Herald reported the US Ambassador to Australia’s criticisms of the Rudd government and their internet filtering proposition, stating instead that it would be possible to achieve exactly the same ends without resorting to such censorship proposed by the Australian government.

The Ambassador, Jeff Bleich, speaking in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation stated that the US was perfectly willing to share efforts that it had made with regards to the issue at hand. Bleich stated that they have a number of different ways to meet the goals that the Australian government has described without banning access to some sites completely, going on to say that, in his opinion, the Internet should is free and it should remain free for all. “It’s an on-going conversation (with Australia),” he commented.

Simon Sheik, speaking in support of Mr. Bleich’s stance, commented that “They’ve shared the resources of all the people of the world,” and he further called on the Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, to enter into the debate and end the controversial discussions once and for all. Mr. Sheik, adding to his comments, said over 120,000 Australians as of late have joined GetUp’s organized campaign against the proposed Internet filter and the polls show that 86% of Australians are concerned about the government’s proposals for Internet filters.

The growing chorus of opposition was also joined by Queensland’s Liberal Senator, Sue Boyce, who called on the Australian government to be much more candid as to the content of its “talks” on the issue with the US. Despite the opposition the Communication Minister, Stephen Conroy, insisted that the government remains committed to the filtering proposal.

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