User:SweenyTod/scratch/Electronic Frontiers Australia

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. (EFA) is a non-profit  Australian national organisation representing Internet users concerned with online  liberties and  rights.

Its major objectives are to:
 * Protect and promote the civil liberties of users and operators of computer based communications systems such as the Internet.
 * Advocate the amendment of laws and regulations in Australia and elsewhere which restrict free speech.
 * Educate the community at large about the social, political, and civil liberties issues involved in the use of computer based communications systems.

Board Members

 * Executive Director Irene Graham
 * Chair Greg Taylor
 * Vice-Chair Robert Rose
 * Secretary Matt Black
 * Treasurer Nick Ellsmore
 * General Board Members
 * David Cake
 * Dale Clapperton
 * Kimberley Heitman
 * Andrew Pam
 * Danny Yee

History
EFA was created in 1994. Its founders were inspired by the US-based Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), but EFA is not affiliated with the EFF. EFA is a founding member of the Global Internet Liberty Campaign. They have been active in the political arena, lobbying local and federal governments on behalf of the Internet community, including appearing before senate committees, organising protect rallies, radio and television appearances and helping Internet users with legal issues relating from harassment, such as attacks on website owners by The Church of Scientology.

Controversy
It was due to one of these attacks, that EFA developed its Code of Conduct. Steve Zadarnowski was contacted by Scientology because of his website and various Usenet postings he had made, which were critical of the Church. Having previously defended ARPAR against Scientology legal threats, EFA board member Jeremy Malcolm began working on behalf of Scientology. This conflict lead to Jeremy standing down from the board, and later resigning from EFA altogether. It was this incident that lead to the Code of Conduct being introduced.

Notiable Achivements
Some of the notiable achivements of the EFA include:
 * Submitted a request for right of reply to the Australian Senate Committee of Privileges in relation to adverse remarks about EFA made in the Senate by Senator Richard Alston, Minister for Information Technology and the Arts. EFA's reply was tabled in the Senate on October 21. (1999)
 * Made a submission to the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Bill 2000 (May), and appeared as a witness at a hearing of the Committee
 * Organised protest rallies around Australia in May 1999 in opposition to the Internet censorship legislation.
 * Submitted a response to the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee Inquiry into Privacy and the Private Sector (Privacy Amendment Bill 1998) - Jul 98.
 * Appeared before that Senate Committee at their hearing in Brisbane, refer Hansard transcript - Apr 97.
 * Organised an industry-wide meeting with DoCA and Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) officials in relation to the proposed regulatory framework. - 97
 * Prepared a major response to the Australian Government's proposals to censor and regulate the Internet, i.e. the Principles for a Regulatory Framework for On-line Services in the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 issued by the Department of Communications and the Arts (DoCA) - Aug 97.