27 Apr 2011

Parliament website alert after access threat

1:15 pm on 27 April 2011

The Parliament website is being specially monitored following threats by the international internet activist group Anonymous.

The group is threatening to block access in protest at recent changes to copyright laws.

Parliament last week passed new laws under urgency to deal with internet piracy, which introduce a three-strike penalty regime.

The general manager of Parliamentary Services, Geoff Thorn, says the threat by Anonymous was found on a blog by a staff member.

He says Parliamentary Services is checking its procedures and doing what it can to be ready for any threat.

Anonymous has launched attacks on websites around the world, including in protest at the 2009 Iranian election result.