Aussie PM hires firm to spam electorate
The government agency charged with policing Australia's anti-spam legislation has ruled out investigating a spamming scandal involving the Prime Minister, John Howard and his son, Tim Howard. However, the Australian Communications Authority said the matter would be "discussed" during a government review next year of the operation of Australia's Spam Act.
Howard has admitted he had hired his son's company, Net Harbour, to distribute emails containing promotional Liberal Party electoral material to voters in his electorate of Bennelong.
ACA anti-spam manager Anthony Wing pointed out that the Spam Act clearly only covers commercial spam and "does not cover non-commercial ones such as charities and election [materials] by registered political parties".
"As far as I'm aware, it is purely electoral material and there are no restrictions under the Spam Act on electoral materials," Wing said.
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper quoted one recipient of the emails -- who resides outside the Bennelong electorate -- as being angry and concerned about how Net Harbour got hold of her address.
