Monday 22 December 2008

No CairnsBlog for Council staff!

It's official. The Cairns Regional Council is more a closed shop than the old mob!
Who would have thought? Even under the right wing Kevin Byrne, this didn't happen.
It was leaked to me last week that Council computers have been blocked from accessing CairnsBlog.
This alone would be of some concern, but what was more interesting is that I was told this censorship did not extend to Dennis Quick's CairnsWatch blog.

I wonder who made the decision to do this.
Councillor Lesina says this is normal. "Based on my own personal experience, I believe that almost all outside websites are initially 'blocked' by Council computers," she said today. "The user is required to click through to the website after acknowledging that any outside websites they visit may be monitored. I am not sure if the Cairnswatch blog is 'blocked' but the ABC News website is and often comes up with an additional warning about 'offensive content'," says Kirsten. "Even google is initially blocked, I hope that sets your mind at rest," she advised.
However, Councillor Robert Pyne says that you can no longer 'click through to the website' after acknowledging that any outside websites may be monitored. Robert confirmed this. "You can with the ABC [news] and Cairnswatch, but not CairnsBlog. Di can confirm this."
And indeed the rooftop protester did indeed confirm this.
"CairnsBlog is indeed blocked from council computers," Councilor Forsyth said this evening. "I have raised with Val, not sure if she mentioned it to CEO, I will take it up with him."
Dianne said that it's been blocked for nearly two weeks. "Yet we can still access Dennis Quick's Blog," Di said.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get used to it guys. It's only going to get worse when the federal government starts imposing it's Big Brother filtering sanctions.

Unknown said...

My apologies for passing on out of date information. I haven't tried to log on to the blog from work for quite a while, so was unaware the situation had changed. I will be interested to hear the response Di gets from the CEO.

Fosnez said...

I have to agree with wombat. This is only going to get worse. At least at council you can press continue or whatever it is to get past the filter. No such luck for the Great Firewall of Australia

Anonymous said...

If you are a state government employee I think you will also find that access to Cairnsblog is blocked.

Anonymous said...

Me thinks Mayor Val doesn't like you much Michael!!!

Bet u a zillion dollars that her fake green paws are all over this.

Anonymous said...

Val is a control freak... you've told us how she's been led by CEO Briggs and co... so put two and two together! She's hardy stood up to the establishment and made it her own since she's been in that place. what a shame.. we all expected way too much. We're on the beaches, and a huge amount of us supported Val and in such a shoirt few months has not done the right thing by us at all.

Anonymous said...

I'd ban this blog too. It's cheecky, dirty, rude, has big words, Syd Walker, says want it wants without any balance, I mean, it's hardly safe for kids, or Councillors. They need protecting.

Anonymous said...

I have just banned the Cairns City Council website on my Myola paddock in retaliation.

From now on, if I want to refer to it, I'll use an anonymous proxy server.

Two can play at this game.

Anonymous said...

Just received by email:

Hi all, I have spoken with the CEO and Cairnsblog will be able to be accessed again by Councillors.

Cheers Di

Cr Diane Forsyth
Division 7 Cairns Regional Council


Nice one Diane!

Was my boycott the decisive factor? History will decide.

If Council officers can read my website, they can see why at least one local believes that 'filtering' the internet is rather like soaking your glasses in mud.