Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you on your elevation. This week we celebrated Safer Internet Day and the theme this year is 'together for a better internet'. Navigating the internet can be a daunting place for older Australians so I'm pleased to be hosting a safer internet forum for seniors in my electorate of Bonner next week in Mount Gravatt. The aim of the forum will be to empower seniors to feel confident when logging on and to educate them on how to identify and avoid common online scams. Sadly, not a week goes by that my office isn't contacted by an older constituent who has fallen prey to a dodgy internet scam. That's why I've invited a special guest speaker from the Office of Fair Trading to discuss how to identify and avoid scams online. We all know the internet is a powerful tool that connects the world around us, but it also can provide many social and economic benefits for older Australians. The safer internet forum will provide training for my constituents so they can engage confidently and safely in the online world.

The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has some great resources to help not only seniors but also young people, parents and educators. It's up to all of us to help create a safer internet. The Bonner safer internet forum is open to all my older constituents and will be held on Friday 21 February from 9.30 am at the Mount Gravatt Bowls Club.