The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Helen Coonan, has announced a $116.6 million package to crack down on Internet pornography.  The three elements are:

• $93.3 million over three years to set up and run the National Filter Scheme, providing free software to Australian families or a filtered ISP service to eliminate unwanted content from home PCs;
• $18.3 million in education and advertising, and;
• $5.0 million to the Government's Internet advisory body, NetAlert, to restructure and improve its effectiveness.

The Protecting Families Online package is expected to be taken up by 2.5 million families over the next few years. The filtering software will be made available through ISPs, with people able to choose from a range of software applications.  Public libraries will also get filters, allowing them to set up "child-friendly" computers for public use.