Sydney - Following similar moves in France and England, where the former has enacted laws requiring Internet service providers to boot customers who repeatedly use illegal file-sharing networks, and the latter has threatened the same, Australia is now also pondering a "three strikes" law that would make ISPs police the file-sharing habits of their customers, Billboard reports.

"We will examine any U.K. legislation on this issue," Australia's communications minister, Stephen Conroy, told a local radio show, according to Billboard.

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), a record label trade group, has proposed a three-strikes policy in recent talks with the government and ISPs.

"It's a highly compelling proposal," ARIA CEO Stephen Peach told Billboard.

"It benefits labels and artists. It benefits the ISPs because it helps reduce costly traffic. It's also the best for the community because it avoids the negative fall-out from individual lawsuits against illegal file-sharers that has taken place (in other parts of) the world.

"I sincerely hope we can avoid that in Australia, and we'd follow that path only as the last resort."

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/20gz2 (Billboard)

http://www.aria.com.au