The office of new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has declined to answer questions about the Labor leader’s personal views on her party’s mandatory internet filtering policy, directing enquiries to Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy.
“Please contact the office of Minister Conroy, who will respond on behalf of the Government,” said a member of Gillard’s media team when contacted about the matter this morning.
Speculation abounds in Australia’s technology industry about what Gillard’s personal views on the filter might be. She has not commented on the policy since taking power in a leadership spill several weeks ago.
Her predecessor, Kevin Rudd, publicly defended the policy several times, on one occasion noting he would not apologise for the policy.
Labor Senator, Kate Lundy, has previously said the change in leadership could present an opportunity for the policy to change, and is lobbying the Labor caucus to insert opt-in or opt-out provisions into the filter legislation.
