Under the regime, which was announced today by Senator Richard Alston, minister for Communication, Information Technology and the Arts, several bodies would be created or adapted to monitor online material.

The government has also removed liability for transmitting offensive or illegal Internet material from Internet service providers (ISPs). Instead, the Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) declared in a statement that, "primary responsibility for such material should lie with the creator of the material."

The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) will be charged with administering this new regime. It will also replace ISPs as the first point of contact for complaints about Internet content, and will decide whether access to offensive material that attracts complaints should be ordered blocked by ISP proxy servers.

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