In a draconian move first endorsed by the Liberals, Labor has introduced legislation allowing the government to police what it sees as “online misinformation and disinformation”.

This means material published on blogs like Family First’s could be censored if it is deemed by a faceless bureaucrat to “harm” someone or even the environment.

“Harm” is defined as “hatred … on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or physical or mental disability”.

Harm to the “health of Australians” and “the environment” is also captured.

This of course is subjective and the radical left’s view of “harm” is very different from mainstream Australians.

The bill has the Orwellian name “Combating Misinformation and Disinformation Bill” but in reality it is a Ministry of Truth first foreshadowed in George Orwell’s supposedly fictional novel 1984 (everyone should re-read it this weekend).

Under Labor’s legislation, which comes back to the Parliament next month, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will have unprecedented powers to censor online content – to in effect bring to reality the “Ministry of Truth”.

For example, if ACMA thinks that by fighting for parents’ rights and protecting vulnerable children from shonky LGBTIQA+ child gender clinics, Family First is “harming” gender confused children, it could order our posts taken down.

This is the biggest attack on freedom of speech since Australia was founded.

Apart from “Sky after dark” and the Australian newspaper, media who are supposed to be the bastions of free speech are largely disinterested in the story.

Family First of course believes in freedom of speech and freedom of the media, including new on-line platforms.

The growth in alternative media outlets is obviously why Liberal and Labor governments want to crack down.

Let’s at least hope the Liberals have seen the error of allowing their previous Communications Minister Paul Fletcher to endorse the ACMA proposal which has now been worked up into legislation by Labor.

The public has until August 6 to make a submission opposing this outrageous attack on free speech.

Family First urges everyone to lodge a polite but clear submission today at this government website https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/new-acma-powers-combat-misinformation-and-disinformation.

Speak up now while you can.