Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. The Albanese government takes seriously its obligation to online safety and the reduction of harms facing Australians. We know that parents are rightly concerned about these harms, as they impact upon their children, and we've taken a decision to support them. We also want young people to imagine a world where social media does not have to constantly fuel their thoughts, drive their anxieties or determine their sense of fitting in. There are enough pressures already in the teenage years, and the Albanese government is taking a stand to say that access to social media does not have to define connection in this country.

I say to Australia's young people that your voices are important and that we have been listening. One of the key features of our legislation is its implementation time frame. We are committed to using this time to engage with young people and the organisations that represent them, and I thank the many young people who have engaged already for outlining their concerns. I say to them that we will work with you over the next 12 months and beyond to ensure that wraparound supports for young people remain accessible.

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