For months the Coalition's communications spokesman Tony Smith has been saying the Opposition would "wait and see" before announcing its policy on the filter, which is strenuously opposed by many web users.

But last night, the shadow treasurer Joe Hockey told Triple J that a Coalition government would scrap the "flawed" policy.

"It's not going to capture a whole lot of images and chatter that we all find offensive.  Therefore it creates a level of assumption of trust that cannot be met by the technology," he said.

Instead, a Tony Abbott-led government would encourage parents to take more responsibility for monitoring their children's use of the web.  "We will instead implement practical and effective measures to enhance online safety and security including PC-based filters for families," Mr Smith said after Mr Hockey's radio revelation.

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That sounds like a return to the former Howard government's policy of offering parents a free downloadable filter to block content on their own computers.  Labor scrapped the program on winning office.

A spokesman for Mr Smith said the Coalition's "comprehensive" online security policy would be released in the coming days.

'Just drop it'

Even if Labor wins the election on August 21 the filter appears doomed, as a second term Gillard government would not have the numbers required to pass its legislation.

Mr Hockey has vowed the Opposition will vote against Labor's legislation and the Australian Greens have always maintained they will do the same.  Combined, the coalition and Greens would have the numbers to kill off the filter bill in the Senate.

"The ALP should drop the censorship proposal rather than fight what now looks inevitable," Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam said last night.  "The Coalition's announcement ... effectively draws the line under the hugely unpopular plan."

However, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's office has said Labor will be pushing ahead with its plan.

Senator Conroy's office insists refused classification (RC) material should not be available online and that is what the filter will target.  "This content includes child sexual abuse imagery, bestiality, sexual violence, detailed instruction in crime, violence or drug use and/or material that advocates the doing of a terrorist act," a spokeswoman for the minister said.

"RC material is not available on Australian hosted websites.  Joe Hockey needs to explain why RC material hosted on overseas websites should be available."

Last month, Senator Conroy delayed the introduction of Labor's controversial filter while a review of material to be blocked is undertaken.  The review is expected to take 12 months.

- reporting by Julian Drape, AAP