Media Release

Cyber-Safety - release of public submissions

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy said public submissions on improved transparency and accountability measures in relation to the Government’s ISP-level filtering policy were now available on the Department’s website.

Senator Conroy said the public consultation was announced when the Government outlined its Cyber-Safety policy, including ISP-level filtering, in December last year.

"The discussion paper outlined additional measures to improve the accountability and transparency of processes that lead to Refused Classification (RC) material being placed on the RC Content list," Senator Conroy said.

"I’m pleased to note there was strong interest in the discussion paper with the Department receiving 174 submissions from a range of organisations and individuals."

Of these, 36 submitters requested that their submissions not be published and one submission was a product endorsement and therefore outside the Department’s guidelines.

"A range of views have been expressed in the submissions and I would like to thank everyone who contributed their comments and valuable ideas to the public consultation process," Senator Conroy said.

"The Department will now work with other Government agencies to consider the submissions and examine whether the ideas can be used to enhance the proposed accountability and transparency measures."

The submissions will feed into the development of the legislative framework whilst the Department is also continuing to consult ISPs on the implementation of ISP-level filtering. Once these processes are complete the legislation will be introduced into Parliament.

To view the submissions visit: www.dbcde.gov.au/funding_and_programs/cybersafety_plan/transparency_measures

Date: 23 March 2010
Contact: Suzie Brady 0408 258 457