Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes. I support this private member's bill, the Online Safety Amendment (Protecting Australian Children from Online Harm) Bill 2023, which has been raised. I'll just comment on your leadership as a member of that committee, Mr Deputy Speaker Freelander, and the leadership of the member for Newcastle, who was my deputy chair during that inquiry. Our committee spoke as one. Age verification needs to be introduced in Australia. There is absolutely no justification in Australia to allow big porn to be impacting upon the lives of young people in Australia today. I know you support it, Mr Deputy Speaker. I know the member for Newcastle supports it. In fact, every member on that committee supported the introduction of age verification.

Just have a think about some of the evidence that we heard. Let me remind you, Deputy Speaker Freelander, and anybody listening that access to pornography from a very young age is impacting upon the poor mental health of our young people. It's furthering sexism and objectification of women in our community. It's causing sexual aggression and violence. There is a direct correlation between domestic violence and the regular use of pornography—and we're not just talking about the old pornography of days gone by, of Penthouse and Playboy; this is hardcore, violent, demeaning pornography of women.

It is inexplicable why this government is turning its back on young Australians. The Labor Party needs to take a very good, long, hard look at itself and change the position of the communications minister. Lives are at stake—the lives and wellbeing, particularly, of our young people, not just boys but boys and girls who are growing up with a very strange and twisted concept of what is normal sexuality. I compliment the member for Banks on this bill.

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