Tony Abbott to establish Online Safety Working Group

Group is offering help for parents, teachers and young people to deal with internet risks

The Coalition has announced plans for an Online Safety Working Group designed to assist parents and teachers in protecting young people from the risks associated with the internet and social media.

The Coalition will consult with technology, education and cyber safety representatives, to develop its online safety policy in the areas of education, regulation and enforcement.

Federal opposition leader, Tony Abbott, said in a statement that approximately 2.2 million Australian children actively engage via the internet and are vulnerable to its risks.

“In a relatively short period of time, the internet has transformed our way of life. However, there are also risks, and children are particularly vulnerable,” he said. “These risks include children being exposed to illegal or inappropriate content and the increasing use of social media as a forum for online bullying.”

Abbott added that the Coalition do not seek to repeat Labor’s “ham-fisted attempt” to put a filter on the internet or to hinder the dynamic nature of the online environment. Abbott was referring to the Federal Government’s proposed mandatory Internet Service Provider (ISP) filter which attracted criticism from the IT industry during 2011. “This is about protecting cyber privacy. It’s not about trying to enforce cyber censorship,” he said.

The Group will be chaired by the Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, who will be joined by Australian Capital Territory Senator ,Gary Humphries, Mitchell representative, Alex Hawke, Solomon representative ,Natasha Griggs, Longman representative, Wyatt Roy, Barker representative, Patrick Secker, Tasmania Senator, Stephen Parry, Victoria Senator ,Bridget McKenzie, and member for Cowan, Luke Simpkins.

Abbott added that the Group will work closely with Shadow Ministers who are responsible for online safety, in particular, education and communications.

During 2012, it will hold roundtables and community forums across Australia.

Terms of reference for the Group are available on Abbott’s website.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

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Comments

1

Dave Saunders

Tue 31/01/2012 - 21:04

So he can make a decision on this but boat people running for their lives he'll "send back into the waters" as it were where they will be worse off. He won't advise putting them into the work force. Everyone forgets now he isn't for equal rights for gay marriage (since when did religion have 100 percent rights over marriage anyway .... I'm not gay & I'm not religious but I won't get married in a church. You can vote in Churches where Churches are EXEMPT FROM DISCRIMINATION LAWS. I find that appalling. What about an online watch dog for people unfairly dismissed? The current one isn't working. He's just trying to spin out of his previous incident regarding his lack of understanding on Aboriginal & Torrest Strait Islander issues - you know, the people who lived here BEFORE WHITE PEOPLE CAME after the British invaded it. Well, thats my rant for the day.

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