Senate passes Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill March 5, 2015

The Bill establishes the Children’s e-Safety Commissioner and provides for the Commissioner’s functions and powers; provides for a complaints system for cyber-bullying material targeted at an Australian child and a two-tiered system for rapid removal of that material from large social media services; provides for civil penalties, enforceable undertakings and injunctions and establishes the Children’s Online Safety Special Account to fund the commissioner’s functions.

Following final agreement by the House of Representatives which  is expected to occur over coming days, the Bill will become law.

The Government has already begun detailed implementation work but with the passage of the Bill this will now accelerate and the Government expects to announce the appointment of the Children's e-Safety Commissioner in coming weeks.

Read the media release about the Senate passing the Bill

Read more about the Bill on the parliamentary website