The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, has announced that new safeguards will be put in place to protect consumers from inappropriate or harmful material on emerging content services such as 3G mobile phones and subscription-based Internet portals.

A recent Review of the Regulation of Content Delivered Over Convergent Devices found there is a need for specific safeguards for users of these services.

New laws will extend the current safeguards that apply to content delivered over the Internet or television to be applied to content delivered over convergent devices. This will include prohibition of content rated X18+ and above, requirements for consumer advice and age-restricting access to content suited only to adults.