David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In June last year the Albanese government released its shocking Communication Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023, which was so bad that it managed to align just about every interest group in Australia against it. We know that already. But what we only know through a recent freedom of information document is the personal involvement of the Prime Minister in approving the single worst feature of this bill. Three weeks before the bill was presented, the Minister for Communications wrote a letter to the Prime Minister seeking a bit of cover, saying: 'I want to have the personal power to order investigations about allegations of misinformation into, basically, anyone. I want to specify the terms of reference, any other particulars and the time frame. I want to be able to respond to requests for information from the media or members of the public to order any misinformation investigation I want, personally.' Imagine if the minister had that power during the Voice referendum, when the government often claimed that things it didn't agree with were misinformation. Does our Prime Minister say, 'It's a terrible idea, in one of the world's great democracies, to give an elected politician the power to personally investigate allegations of misinformation'? No, he doesn't say that. He actually, a couple of weeks ago, through his designated assistant minister, wrote back to the minister and said: 'Great idea. Go for it. Order whatever investigations into misinformation and allegations of misinformation you want.' It's a shocking indictment on the Prime Minister and a terrible piece of legislation.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Lalor, you have one minute to speak.