The Federal Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison has today written to all major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) advising them of strict new obligations to report online child pornography to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

ISPs and Internet Content Hosts (ICHs) will have an obligation to report material they have reasonable grounds to believe is child pornography or child abuse material to the AFP, when the amendments to the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Criminal Code) commence on 1 March 2005.

“Internet Service Providers and Internet Content Hosts should be aware that come March 1 they will be obligated to join the Federal government’s frontline fight against abuse of children online,” Senator Ellison said.

“It can not be emphasised enough that behind every horrid piece of child pornography is a tragic case of an abused defenceless child, somewhere in the world.

“The Australian Government is determined to lead the world in efforts to stamp out the despicable trade in child pornography,” he said.

An ISP or ICH will now face penalties of $11,000 for the individual and $55 000 for body corporates if they are made aware that their service can be used to access material that they have reasonable grounds to believe is child pornography or child abuse material and they do not refer details of that material to the AFP within a reasonable time of becoming aware of the material’s existence.

It will also be a federal offence under these new provisions, carrying a penalty of ten years imprisonment, for a person to use a carriage service, such as the Internet, to access, transmit or make available child pornography or child abuse material, supplementing existing State and Territory laws.

ISPs and ICHs will now be working closely with the newly created AFP Online Child Exploitation Team (OSCET) and the Australian High Tech Crime Centre (AHTCC) to assist the AFP in identifying and eradicating child exploitation and paedophile networks.

The AFP-hosted AHTCC is a member of the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT), established to fight online child exploitation and to provide education and advice to members of the public. For more information on the AHTCC or VGT go to www.ahtcc.gov.au and www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com.

For more information on the reporting obligations of ISPs and ICHs, go to www.ag.gov.au/ispresponsibilities.
Source = http://www.ag.gov.au/agd/WWW/justice..._on_child_porn

Funny, I never saw this posted here.