IT'S DEAD: Opposition to block Labor's filter

Renai LeMay
Thursday, 05 August 2010 22:15

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey tonight revealed the Coalition would block Labor's mandatory internet filtering policy in parliament, in a move that will signal the death of the controversial project if the Greens control the balance of power in the Federal Senate after the election.

Asked on Triple J's Hack program this afternoon if the Coalition would vote for the policy if Labor won the election, Hockey's response was short and to the point.

'No,' he said.

On Triple J, Hockey described the filter as 'flawed policy' and said it simply would not work, as it would not capture 'a whole lot of images and chatter that we all find offensive - that are going through email'.

The interviewer attempted to move onto the next subject, but Hockey - who has been a strident opponent of the filter policy in the past - interrupted them to continue to outline the Coalition's opposition to the policy. 'And I know it's a contentious issue,' he said. 'The filter does not work. The ISP-based filtering system does not work. Therefore it creates a level of assumption of trust that can't be met by the technology.'