Mr Coulton, the Federal Member for Parkes, and Mr Colless, his independent challenger, both oppose the Federal Government’s plan to filter at the source, believing that it is better for households to have the choice of downloading a filter if they wish to block harmful content.

However, on the issue of broadband, while Mr Coulton opposes the Government’s National Broadband Network, Mr Colless is open-minded on the best way forward.

The two men agree that instead of the Government filtering at the source, it should provide a free internet filter that concerned households can download if they wish.

Mr Coulton said that the option of a free filter would keep the internet safe for children.

“It is a great tool, but we must ensure it is safe and that is why the roll-out of a plan for real action to filter online content and provide extensive education and guidance is so important,” he said.

Mr Colless agreed that filtering is needed to keep children safe, and that the role of policeman should be left to families, not the Government.

“I think if the Government starts filtering at the source, we’re going down the track of 1984.”

While the two men are united in opposing the Government’s policy on internet filtering, there is no such agreement on Labor’s National Broadband Network.

Mr Coulton and the Coalition believe that the Government-owned NBN will be a “white elephant”.

Coalition policy calls for private sector involvement, which Mr Coulton claims will “deliver services sooner, providing real benefits where they are needed”.

“Instead of creating a new inefficient Government run monopoly,” the Opposition announced, “the Coalition’s plan will stimulate a vibrant, private sector-based broadband market, with Government involved to encourage competition and ensure services reach all Australians.”

Unlike Mr Coulton, Mr Colless is open-minded on whether it is the Government or the private sector that should play the lead role.

On the one hand, he said he could see the benefit of something like the NBN - provided it wasn’t then sold off cheaply, as he claimed Telstra was.

On the other, he said that by allowing the private sector to take the lead, it would relieve the burden on taxpayers.

Either way, Mr Colless - who conceded that he was “not an expert in telecommunications” - said that the people of Parkes deserved the same broadband speed as those in the cities, as they pay the same taxes.