Nine websites contained sexually explicit images of young people 'whose precise age is reportedly difficult to determine', he

In the latest porn scandal to rock Macquarie Street, an investigation has found NSW MPs or staff used parliamentary computers to access websites containing explicit images of young people.

The IT audit by Ernst & Young, made public on Thursday, suggested children may have been depicted on the nine adult websites accessed from November last year to September 2010.

The investigation was commissioned in the wake of the internet porn revelations which led to the resignation of ports minister Paul McLeay in September.

Mr McLeay stood down after admitting accessing adult and gambling material on his computer.

On Thursday, Speaker Richard Torbay tabled the Ernst& Young report in the state's lower house, saying that of the 72most popular sites accessed on parliamentary computers over the 10months, 35 "appear to be adult-related sites".

Nine websites contained sexually explicit images of young people "whose precise age is reportedly difficult to determine", he said.

Mr Torbay said legal advice was being sought into the report's damaging findings.

"No further comment will be made in respect of this matter so as to not jeopardise any investigations that may ensue," Mr Torbay told parliament.

No MPs or staff were named in the report which foreshadowed the possibility of criminal charges being laid.

"If the persons depicted in the images are found to be under the age of 18, it is possible that contraventions of the Criminal Code Act 1995 may have occurred," the report said.

"If the persons depicted in the images are found to be under the age of 16, it is possible that contraventions of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) may have occurred.

"Accordingly, you may wish to seek independent legal advice in relation to these issues and next steps, if any."

The Ernst & Young investigation was sparked by an unauthorised audit of computer usage in NSW parliament, which revealed gambling and adult sites had been accessed in some MPs' offices.

Mr McLeay stood down before the details of the initial audit were made public.

It was also revealed the office of Christian Democratic MP Fred Nile had recorded 200,000 suspect hits, which the anti-pornography campaigner defended as being "for research purposes".

Lower house speaker Richard Torbay and Upper house president Amanda Fazio at the time described the unofficial audit as unreliable, and commissioned the Ernst & Young report.

The report tabled on Thursday also found 210,000 hits were made on sites categorised 'Swimsuit/Lingerie/Model'.

© 2010 AAP

 

What was Fred Nile researching?