Abbott embarrassed by net filter mess

The federal coalition has been embarrassed over its "opt out" internet filtering policy, with Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull forced to step in and kill it off.

The coalition's plan to enhance online safety for children, released on Thursday, promised a default filtering system for smartphones and other internet services "which provides maximum protection".

The coalition was accused of wanting to impose an "opt out" internet filter on all Australians, prompting communications spokesman Mr Turnbull to issue a terse statement saying the policy was "poorly worded" and incorrect.

"The correct position is that the Coalition will encourage mobile phone and internet service providers to make available software which parents can choose to install on their own devices to protect their children from inappropriate material," the statement said.

"The policy posted online today is being replaced with the correct version."

Later on Thursday Mr Abbott also junked the "opt out" policy, authored by Liberal backbencher Paul Fletcher.

"We don't, wouldn't, won't support any policy of filtering the internet - you simply can't do it and it shouldn't be done anyway," Mr Abbott told reporters at Silvern, east of Melbourne.

"I read the policy last night, quickly it has to be said, and I thought it was a reference to the ability of people to get a PC based filter.

"I'm sorry that it's poorly worded, but that's been cleared up."

Mr Abbott reiterated: "We don't support filtering the Internet, we don't support censoring the Internet".

"We do want to see children protected where parents wish from the kind of material which is available on the net," he said.

Senior Labor minister Chris Bowen said the policy "farce" shows why the coalition can't be trusted in government.

"It's about trusting a political party which can put out major policies, major initiatives in the dying hours of an election campaign, and what that means about their judgment," he told ABC TV.