Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about communication. It's intrinsic to human beings and who we are. We crave it in every way. Communication is part of that connectivity that is essential. Digital connectivity has enhanced the ability for us to connect and to communicate. Today I was very proud to launch, with my co-chair, Sharon Claydon, the member for Newcastle, the Parliamentary Friends of Making Social Media Safe. It's an important parliamentary group because it seeks to address and have the conversation around making social media safe. Our children and grandchildren depend on us in this government continuing to work in this space.

I have personal experience of how these issues can affect lives. Expensive civil proceedings are one of the only means of recourse currently available to people who have been defamed, bullied and harassed online. I am determine that people in our electorates benefit from the work that we do in this place. Today I want to thank: Reset Australia for contributing to and supporting that event; Minister Fletcher, the Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, who spoke at that event; and the shadow minister, Michelle Rowland, who also spoke at that event. We also had the eSafety Commissioner, Ms Julie Inman Grant.

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