As vaccine-injured Australians we have had first hand experience of the way government policies on Covid information sharing has negatively impacted us in significant and real ways.
A new law has been proposed on misinformation/disinformation that contains within it the powers to even further control what information is able to be shared with the Australian public. COVERSE has already experienced an increase in censorship of its social media posts since this draft bill was released for public debate and discussion.
You have an opportunity to let the Australian Government know of your concerns about this proposed bill. We have prepared a template to assist you in doing this. COVERSE strongly encourages all vaccine-injured people, their family and friends, to make a personal submission detailing harms that you have experienced as a result of social media censorship.
Important information about the submission
Submissions are due by 20 August 2023.
Submissions can be made several ways:
- Online — www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/new-acma-powers-combat-misinformation-and-disinformation
- Attach a document, audio recording, or video recording — information.integrity@infrastructure.gov.au
Comments in the comment box, or the body of an email, will not be published. If you require alternative arrangements to make a submission, please contact the Department of Infrastructure at the email address above.
Submissions may be published, and we hope as many of you as possible agree to have your submissions made public. Do not include any personal information in your submission that you do not want to be public, and note that you can request that your submission remain anonymous and/or that it not be published.
There are legal considerations relevant to what the Department can publish on their website. They will not publish submissions that include content that is offensive, discriminatory, illegal or defamatory to any third party and/or contains threatening or aggressive language.
We would also recommend that your submission should stick to facts that you know or can back up through credible sources. This is why your personal experiences are powerful evidence, since these are real events that have happened to you.
For more information about the draft bill and submission process, see www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/new-acma-powers-combat-misinformation-and-disinformation.
How to complete the submission template
Page 1
Insert your name — if you are happy to have your name included with a published submission; or delete if you want to remain anonymous.
Introduction
There are some sections that require personalisation, you will see these sections with the relevant instruction, e.g. <insert age>
Examples of harm I have received
There are a number of possible areas relevant to the bill where you may have experienced harms. These are listed separately, with some text attached. When you read through these areas:
- If an area relates to you, and you are able to give examples of how it relates to you, then personalise that text.
- If there is an area that is not relevant to you and the harm you have received, then delete that area from your submission.
If you need further assistance with completing your submission, please email us on contact@coverse.org.au.