Federal Member for Groom, Garth Hamilton has warmly welcomed the Opposition’s commitment to over-turn an Albanese Government decision to reject an online child safety plan.
The Labor Government had rejected the recommendation for a trial aimed at protecting children from pornography and other online harm.
Mr Hamilton said it was disappointing the Labor government chose to ignore the recommendation of a major report, Roadmap for Age Verification, by the eSafety Commissioner to help to confirm a child’s age online.
“The proposed trial would examine the use of technology that would identify a child’s age and prevent them from being exposed to inappropriate online content and predators.
“I was shocked when the Albanese Government ignored the risks to children, ruled out the trial and failed to proceed with any other option.
“We are seeing the impacts of harm online, across many platforms children are exposed to content and predators and we should do everything we can to protect children.
“I have been pushing for better, tighter laws to protect the most vulnerable, including innocent children and I strongly support the announcement by the Coalition, that in government we would implement the recommendation of the eSafety Commissioner,” Mr Hamilton said.
Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman has introduced a private member’s bill aimed at legislating for such a trial but the Government is still opposing the plan.
“It speaks volumes that while the National Children’s Commissioner expressed her disappointment at the Minister’s refusal to carry out a trial, the pornography industry welcomed it,” Mr Coleman said.
“More than 45 leading child and women’s safety advocates wrote to the Prime Minister and Communications Minister, urging them to over-turn their refusal to support a trial.”
A petition supporting the trial has been established at: https://www.research.net/r/6ZFRH3P.
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