Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member’s question is as follows:

(1)

(a)

All Members are eligible to opt for voluntary internet content filtering.

(b)

On 20 March 2008 the President of the Senate, following consideration by the Appropriations and Staffing Committee, agreed that internet content filtering as currently applied to Senate department employees would be extended to Senators and their staff (Attachment 1).

(c)

Ministerial staff who have access to the Parliamentary Computing Network are eligible to opt for voluntary internet content filtering on that network. Ministerial staff generally have access to executive department computers that are outside the control of DPS.

(d)

Members’ staff are eligible to opt for voluntary internet content filtering. Senators’ staff are covered by arrangements announced in the President of the Senate’s statement at Attachment 1.

(2)

Internet content filtering is applied to all parliamentary department staff, unless exemption has been approved for business reasons. Exempted employees are eligible to request internet content filtering to be re-applied.

(3)

(a)

to (c) The Presiding Officers have agreed that as the internet is an important reference tool for Senators and Members in the conduct of their parliamentary duties, internet filtering details about individuals, including Senators and Members, will not be released.

(d)

Internet content filtering applies to the use of the Parliamentary Computing Network (PCN) by staff of Ministers that are Senators as per the President’s statement at Attachment 1. Note that ministerial staff generally also have access to executive department computers that are outside the control of DPS.

(e)

No Members’ staff have opted to have internet content filtering (although staff of one Member have been blocked from the MySpace and Facebook sites). Senators staff are included as per the President’s statement at Attachment 1.

(4)

The Presiding Officers have agreed that internet filtering details about individuals, including Senators and Members, will not be released.

(5)

The Presiding Officers have agreed that internet filtering details about individuals, including Senator and Members, will not be released.

(6)

The Presiding Officers have agreed that internet filtering details about individuals, including Senator and Members, will not be released.

(7)

The default filtering system for the Parliamentary network blocks sites identified in the software that does the blocking. Further nominated sites can be blocked on request.

Attachment 1—President’s (Senator the Hon. Alan Ferguson) statement 20 march 2008—internet content filtering for senators

Following discussion in the Senate Appropriations and Staffing Committee, I have agreed that the internet filtering that currently applies to Department of the Senate employees on the Parliamentary Computing Network be extended to all Senators and their staff. Should a Senator require access to a web site that may be restricted by the filtering system, they can arrange temporary or permanent access through the Usher of the Black Rod.

The Department of Parliamentary Services provides the internet filtering system on behalf of the Parliamentary departments. I understand that DPS is currently engaged in identifying a replacement filtering system in conjunction with Senate and House of Representatives officials.

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