Fed: Govt must ensure internet filter trial will work: Minchin

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-2008
Fed: Govt must ensure internet filter trial will work: Minchin

CANBERRA, Dec 24 AAP - The federal opposition says the Rudd government is finding it
increasingly difficult to make good on its promise of an internet content filter.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday released a statement distancing himself
from a report released by the Internet Industry Association (IIA) that was commissioned
and paid for by the former Howard government.

The report's findings was "not an analysis of the ALP's policy" and the government's
pilot trial beginning in mid-January would provide "real world" evidence on the impact
of content filtering, Senator Conroy said.

Opposition communications spokesman Nick Minchin said on Wednesday the filter was a
repeat of the bungled handling of the national broadband network.

"Prior to the election, the now government, in opposition, made these broad-sweeping
promises... to eliminate child pornography from the internet with this filter system,"

Senator Minchin told ABC radio.

"Now they've got to make good on their promise and they're finding it much more difficult
in government of course than in opposition."

The report does identify serious issues with any attempt to impose a mandatory internet
service provider filtering system that simply may not work, he said.

"It's almost technically impossible to do this."

Senator Minchin said he didn't object to the trial proceeding, but questions remained
about who would be involved, whether it would involve "live" customers, and whether they
will know they're involved in the trial or not.

"All I'd say is the burden of proof rests now very much with Senator Conroy to establish
that this is a legitimate trial," he said.

AAP srj/it/de

KEYWORD: INTERNET MINCHIN

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