NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has written to acting prime minister Wayne Swan calling for a review of laws on social media after what he called a cowardly Twitter attack on rugby league star Robbie Farah.
The Wests Tigers and State of Origin hooker, whose mum died in June, was targeted by an internet troll who posted a sexually explicit tweet about his mother on Sunday night.
Mr O'Farrell, one of the first to express his outrage on Twitter, said on Monday he had written to Mr Swan seeking a review of commonwealth legislation.
Those behind the trolling attack on Farah were "cowards", he said.
"There are clear offences under commonwealth legislation for harassment and bullying, using telecommunication devices," Mr O'Farrell told reporters in Sydney.
"Whether it happens to a showbiz personality, whether it happens to a footballer, whether it happens to someone down the street, we need to send the strongest possible message that it's simply not acceptable.
"We are seeking a review of existing commonwealth legislation to see what, between the commonwealth and the states, we can do to close any potential loopholes that exist."
The incident involving Farah came shortly after celebrity Charlotte Dawson was taken to a psychiatric hospital after being subjected to a torrent of internet abuse, prompting debate about regulation of social media.
Mr O'Farrell said he had also spoken to NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione about social media attacks, and the state's top cop had advised that anybody being bullied online should contact police.
Questioned about how legislation could stop trolling, the premier said while you "can't legislate against stupidity ... you can do is send the strongest possible message about the unacceptability of this behaviour".
"(You can) remind people that there are already offences that they can find themselves charged with if they engage in this behaviour," he said.
A spokesperson for federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said under commonwealth law it was an offence to menace, harass or threaten harm via social media.
She said Canberra was considering what other action could be taken to improve the law relating to internet trolling.
"This sort of behaviour is reprehensible and has no place in our community," the spokesperson said.
"Twitter should reveal the identities of the anonymous trolls who are breaking the law by abusing others online and co-operate with any police investigation to help reveal who these trolls are."
Lifeline patron and former NSW opposition leader John Brogden said high-profile figures did not deserve to be attacked by "cowardly" anonymous social networkers.
Mr Brogden, who tried to take his own life amid intense media scrutiny in 2005, said "people do not have the right just to get on and, in a disgusting fashion, vomit words of hate over a tweet".
"The mere fact that you see someone on television or playing footy doesn't mean you've got the right to get on Twitter and attack them," Mr Brogden said.
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