That Internet filter that was rather plainly written into the Coalition policy announced earlier today? Apparently, it was just “poorly worded” and not what the Coalition meant at all. Or something.
I’m tempted to call this backpedalling at the speed of light (or in this case, I guess, copper), but Malcolm Turnbull is now stating on his website that
Online Safety for Children
The Coalition has never supported mandatory internet filtering. Indeed, we have a long record of opposing it.
The policy which was issued today by was poorly worded and incorrectly indicated that the Coalition supported an “opt out” system of internet filtering for both mobile and fixed line services. That is not our policy and never has been.
The correct position is that the Coalition will encourage mobile phone and internet service providers to make available software which parents can choose to install on their own devices to protect their children from inappropriate material.
The policy posted online today on the CHQ website has been replaced with the correct version.
Poorly worded? Having read through the original document, that was rather a lot of “poor wording”.
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Still, clearly an opt-in, education backed policy is vastly preferable, whether this was just an error or is in fact a policy backflip.