Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Communications. How is the Albanese Labor government helping parents keep their kids safe online?

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

The Albanese government is focused on positive solutions to issues of national concern, and the safety and mental health of our young people is paramount. The welfare of children is a collective responsibility, and it's heartening to see the Commonwealth and states working together in this important effort. Social media, of course, offers many benefits to Australians, but it is also a source of harm, and too often social media isn't social at all. As the mother of two young daughters, I understand the anxiety of parents about the impacts of social media and the screen addiction of their children. We are on their side.

The fact is that social media has a social responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of children, but they are falling short. While a government may not be able to prevent every harm on the internet, there is always more we can do to make a difference. That's why the Albanese government is legislating a minimum age for access to social media. As the Prime Minister has outlined, tomorrow he will convene National Cabinet and recommend that 16 be legislated as the minimum age. The government will introduce legislation this year with an implementation period of a year from when the legislation is passed.

Our legislation will be a world first. This is a national challenge that requires national leadership and that's why we have worked closely with the states and territories and are taking strong action. Consistent with the design principles I outlined in October, national cabinet will consider a proposal that includes: the onus being on social media platforms to prevent access—and there will not be penalties for parents or young people; a new definition of age-restricted social media platform will be adapted from the existing Online Safety Act definition for the purposes of the age limit; we will prioritise privacy protection for information collected for age assurance purposes; there will not be grandfathering arrangements; and the age limit will apply to holding an account and will allow access to social media in a logged-out state.

I want to make it clear our legislation is about the protection and not the isolation of young people. Determining the age of 16 was not arrived at lightly. We are confident this is the right decision. The normative value of 16 is immense and it will establish new expectations within society about social media use. The government has consulted widely to determine the basis for our decision, including with experts, parents, youth organisations, academics, and our state and territory colleagues.

I want to thank all who have engaged constructively on this issue. Your insights have guided our thinking and there are so many personal experiences, such as those the Prime Minister and I heard this morning, to add to our determination to get this right. Responding to these concerns has been the focus of the Albanese government because the safety of our children comes first.