Russell Broadbent (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I've been booted off YouTube for a three-minute speech I gave in the other chamber. I was disappointed about that because, for me of all people to be booted off YouTube, it was quite a surprise to me. All I was doing was asking a question on excess deaths in Australia and quoting ABS, Australian Bureau of Statistics, figures. If you had a four per cent increase in excess deaths in Australia, you'd say, 'Well, that's like a one-in-100-year flood.' I suppose, if you got a 14 per cent increase in excess deaths in Australia, you'd have a tsunami on your hands, but I didn't even mention that in the speech. I mean, coming from a backbench in opposition in the Australian parliament, it's in the Hansard for anybody to read.

It's about as low as you can go as a backbencher in opposition. There is one place further to go—that's probably out the door, and don't get excited about that too quickly! So I say to YouTube: why are you censoring an Australian parliamentarian for just reasonable remarks about ABS figures in this country? It's totally unacceptable when, after you genuinely upload a three-minute speech on mortality rates in Australia, an international company kicks you off. It's unbelievable, and I'm especially surprised because it was me. Who am I to be kicked off?

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