Ms Gillard indicated Communications Minister Stephen Conroy might tweak parts of the proposed filter before it was introduced.

''I understand that there's a set of … technical concerns about internet speed, and also concerns that somehow this accidentally doesn't move into taking away legitimate use of the internet,'' she said.

Vocal filter critic Mark Newton said the comments showed Ms Gillard was not going to use the change of leadership to moderate the party's position on the issue.

The network engineer attacked the cinema comparison, noting that ''the reason nobody can see child pornography in cinemas is because it's illegal and aggressively pursued by police''.

''I call on Julia Gillard to spend a little bit more time listening to the policy's critics, instead of dismissing them with silly throwaway lines about child pornography.''

But Ms Gillard won backing from Christian group FamilyVoice Australia, whose spokeswoman Ros Phillips said she was ''delighted'' the government's position was being maintained.

''The underlying principle, you can't dispute: why should you treat the internet differently from any form of communications like films and books and so on.''

The government has said it will introduce legislation to establish the filter after consultations are complete, but it is unlikely to bring it before Parliament ahead of the next election. The federal opposition is yet to formalise its position on the mandatory filter.