Still No Government Action on Family First's Call For Ban On Internet Pornography (Media Release)

For more than six months Family First has been calling on the Government to ban internet pornography.

Family First has raised this issue with the Prime Minister’s office many times and is disappointed that we are still waiting for the Government to act.

This is a huge community concern. As parents, we want a safe internet environment for our kids, and the way to do that is to ban internet pornography, while allowing adults who want it, to 'opt in' and access it.

Parents feel powerless. We know we have to let our kids roam the Internet for study. Yet we can’t be watching over their shoulders all the time to monitor what they are seeing.

Last year, Family First sought technical advice about how a ban on internet pornography could work. We spoke to experts and discovered it was possible to block pornography at the Internet Service Provider (ISP) level.

As well as numerous meetings with the Prime Minister's Office, and the Prime Minister, urging him to adopt our policy, Family First has also met with Communications Minister Senator Helen Coonan.

Why is the Government taking so long to act? Either it agrees with our policy and will adopt it or it doesn't. We know action is possible. In May 2004 the Government published a report which revealed it would cost $45 million to establish a national system, and $33 million each year to operate.

For media enquiries phone Chief of Staff Felicity Dargan on 0409 550 446