Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am very proud to present this bill, because the government is committed to preventing harm to children, both in person and online. Such harm, including sexual exploitation of children, is, obviously, devastating to the people involved. It is devastating to their families and it is devastating to the broader community as well.

The introduction of the protecting minors online bill follows the murder of 15-year-old Carly Ryan by a 50-year-old man who posed online as a teenage boy.

This year, 2017, marks the 10th anniversary since this tragic event, and Carly's mother, Sonya, has worked tirelessly since then to protect children in an increasingly challenging online environment. Through the introduction of this bill, Carly's mother has achieved the outcome of a law to better protect young Australians in the online world. I am very proud to have worked with Sonya Ryan to develop this measure, which is effective and recognises Carly's legacy. I would also like to acknowledge the work and support from Senator Nick Xenophon and the rest of his team, who have helped us in the development of this bill.

The government has a duty to ensure that, with ever-evolving technology and expanding communication methods, Commonwealth laws provide a deterrent and a sound basis for prosecuting offenders who would do Australian children harm.

The protecting minors online bill sends a clear message: this behaviour will not be tolerated. Australian children must be safe to grow, explore and develop online as in 'real life', and we need to protect these spaces for them.

Rapidly evolving technologies and the anonymity that the internet provides have resulted in unprecedented opportunities for the harm and sexual exploitation of our children. Our laws need to keep pace with the speed of technological change and the way that this technology is used. This government has a demonstrated history of protecting children online through the enactment of a range of offences directed at the use of carriage services, such as the internet and mobile phones, for the sexual exploitation of children.

The bill represents a further step to protect Australian children from those who would seek to do them harm.

The introduction of this bill improves protection of children online by introducing a new offence that complements existing online child sex offences for preparatory conduct, including grooming or procuring a child for sexual activity. The bill extends the criminalisation of the use of the internet and social media as a forum for predators to groom or procure our children to engage in sexual activity to a broader range of conduct.

This offence builds upon the proactive policing of online child sex offences, allowing law enforcement to take action against online predators sooner and with greater consequence.

The bill introduces a tough new offence for adults preparing or planning to cause harm to, procure, or engage in sexual activity with a child and now may be punished by up to 10 years imprisonment. Importantly, this will also include those who misrepresent their age.

Conclusion

This bill will ensure that young Australians have a greater protection from online predators and serve as a significant deterrent to those who would do them harm. I therefore commend it to the House and, again, I thank the people who have collaborated in the preparation of this bill, in particular, Sonya Ryan. The passage of this bill through this parliament will be an enduring testament to the strength of character she has shown in the face of enormously difficult circumstances and, also, a tribute to the life of her late daughter.

Debate adjourned.