Saturday 8 September 2007

Extreme Material just a mouse click away

The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator the Hon Helen Coonan, was at the Launceston State Library today as part of the NetAlert—Protecting Australian Families Online campaign.

“I have been travelling around the country as part of National Child Protection Week to talk with Australians about how best to protect our children and young people from inappropriate content and contact online.

“Parents, grandparents and carers have all stressed to me how concerned they are about the disturbing images of extreme violence and pornography that are just a few mouse clicks away.

“The Howard Government has a serious commitment to protecting our children online that is why we have delivered a comprehensive programme using the broadest possible line of attack in the protection of Australian families online.

“NetAlert – Protecting Australian Families Online is a $189 million initiative combining technology, education, awareness and advice, regulation and policing to ensure that Australian families can get the best of the internet, whilst minimising potential harm,” Senator Coonan said.

“There are a number of practical steps that parents can take to prevent their children from coming into contact with extreme violence or pornography.

“ Independent research found that more than half of teenagers surveyed said they had visited websites that their parents would have preferred them not to.

“Encourage young people – especially young children – to come to you if they encounter something disturbing or traumatic online.

Senator Coonan said an element of NetAlert is the $85 million National Filter Scheme which will provide access to the best available internet filtering technology, free to every Australian family through personal computer or ISP-based filtering and for public libraries.

“The filters are a tool to help parents deal with social and health issues, such as eating disorders and bullying that can be exacerbated by unsupervised internet use.

“Parents can enter keywords to help block websites containing those words, or the filters can be used to help block entire categories of content.

“It is wonderful to be at the Launceston State Library today, as the Tasmanian Government is one of only two State and Territory Governments in the country that recognise how important it is to provide a filtering service at our public libraries.

“Whilst all state and territories offer a filtered service for schools, with the exception of Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, Labor State Government’s have simply failed to require a similar standard in libraries.

“Although striking the balance between filtered child friendly computers and the needs of adults and legitimate researchers can be difficult, child safety must come first,” Senator Coonan said.

“What we are recommending is that each library is set up with a child friendly terminal so that our children can safely use a public computer located in a library.

“For a child or young person without internet access at home, often their only chance to access the internet is a public library. So it is essential that the State and Territory Labor Government’s act immediately to protect our children in public libraries,” Senator Coonan said.

Parents, grandparents and carers can visit www.australia.gov.au/netalert or call the help line on 1800 880 176 for advice about managing online safety, as well as access to free internet content filters, and information about how they work.

Media Contact: Katherine Meier 0417 441 141