The Blackbox Debate
Thu, 2 Nov 2006, 07:24 pmCassie_Dart30 posts in thread
The Blackbox Debate
Thu, 2 Nov 2006, 07:24 pmI write regarding the closure and censorship of the below thread - Blackbox Management: Good or Bad?
http://www.theatre.asn.au/node/5973
I recently had a young actress write to me and ask a question about her agency, so I sent her this link. It is a tradgic shame that dozens of people's comments have been censored, but I respect Theatre Australia for having posted that these messages were deleted as a result of one John W. of Blackbox Management. It is made clear to everyone what is really going on.
This young actress was, suffice it to say, not happy in her current situation. Will you delete my post for saying that?
I am not a lawyer
Tue, 7 Nov 2006, 08:14 amI am definitely not an expert on constitutional law but here goes. Australia does not have a single piece of paper with the word Constitution written on top of it. We have a series of pieces of senior legislation such as the electoral act and the various taxation acts and acts defining the roles of the State and Federal Governments and their rights, duties and responsibilities. These acts do not define such things as freedom of speech. We also have a skein of tradition opinion and accepted practices that are known as common law. Certain "rights" we assume we have are more pious hopes based on usage and practice and the willingness of courts to acknowledge the power of common law. The USA which was the first country in the world to have a written constitution is also one of the few to have guaranteed rights such as those outlined in the so called "Bill of Rights" the first 10 amendments to the US Constitution. These rights include the right to freedom of speech (which does not make it possible to defame without penalty) the right to free assembly (which we simply do not have) the right to form militia (which we probably don't want) the right to freedom of religion (which anti discrimination legislation more or less gives us) and the right not to incriminate ourselves in a court of law (which we definitely don't have). There are others but can't remember them at the moment.
Every country debates having it's own Bill of Rights every now and then but no Government other than the US has as yet been willing to give up the powers that would be curtailed if we had one. (Ask a journo friend about d-notices sometime.)
The UN has written a Universal Declarations of Human Rights and while most of the world has said "Yeah it's a good thing" no-one has as yet included it in it's nations laws.
A bit long winded and a touch simplistic. My degree has a second major in political history so I apologise if I sound patronising.
Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing.
www.tonymoore.id.au