Coalition to dump internet filter

Federal Labor's controversial plan to filter the internet could be dead in the water after the coalition announced it opposed the policy.

Senior Liberal Joe Hockey said on Thursday a coalition government would scrap Labor's "flawed" mandatory filter policy.

Instead, a Tony Abbott-led government would encourage parents to take more responsibility for monitoring their children's use of the web.

Even if Labor wins the election on August 21 the filter appears doomed.

A second term Gillard government wouldn't have the numbers required to pass its legislation.

Mr Hockey has vowed the opposition will vote against Labor's laws and the Australian Greens have always maintained they would try to block the bill.

Combined, the coalition and Greens would have the numbers to kill off the filter bill in the Senate.

"The ALP should drop the censorship proposal rather than fight what now looks inevitable," Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said in a statement.

"The coalition's announcement ... effectively draws the line under the hugely unpopular plan."

However, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's office says Labor will be pushing ahead with its plan despite the latest setback.

Mr Hockey told ABC Radio's Triple J on Thursday that Labor's filter wouldn't work.

"We believe it's flawed policy," he said.

"It's not going to capture a whole lot of images and chatter that we all find offensive.

"Therefore it creates a level of assumption of trust that cannot be met by the technology."

Opposition communications spokesman Tony Smith confirmed the coalition's new position.

"A coalition government will not introduce a mandatory ISP level filter," he said in a statement.

"We will instead implement practical and effective measures to enhance online safety and security including PC-based filters for families."

The former Howard government offered parents a free downloadable filter to block content on their own computers. Labor scrapped the program on winning office.

A spokesman for Mr Smith said the coalition's "comprehensive" online security policy would be released in the coming days.

Senator Conroy's office insists refused classification (RC) material shouldn't be available online and that's what the filter would target.

"This content includes child sexual abuse imagery, bestiality, sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act," a spokeswoman for the minister said.

"RC material is not available on Australian hosted websites.

"Joe Hockey needs to explain why RC material hosted on overseas websites should be available."

Last month, Senator Conroy delayed the introduction of Labor's controversial filter while a review of material to be blocked was undertaken.

The review was expected to take 12 months.

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