Ministry sees red over neighbouring porn site

By LIBBY MIDDLEBROOK

The owner of a pornography web address is trying to force the Government to buy the address for almost $15,000.

The Ministry of Education was last week alerted to the porn site, the internet address for which is similar to that of Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI), an on-line learning centre for teachers.

The Government considered buying the porn address, hosted from Armenia, a republic in the former Soviet Union, to prevent teachers from mistakenly entering the site.

However, the price was $US6000 ($14,550).

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said the deal amounted to blackmail.

More than 1700 teachers visit the ministry-run TKI website each day, accessing classroom resources and ideas to help with lesson planning.

The website, www.tki.org.nz, is used by staff from 78 per cent of the country's 2700 schools.

Mr Mallard said the Government had decided against buying the address on the advice of police and the Department of Internal Affairs.

The ministry yesterday faxed all schools in the country notifying them of the porn site.

A help desk has also been set up to advise schools on how to block access to the site. The number is 0800 005 161.