Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

Labor shares the Greens party's concern that this bill should not capture VPNs. This bill, as I explained in my remarks earlier this morning, is directed only at the worst of the worst—websites which intentionally and brazenly flout copyright law. It is difficult to see how VPN services, which have a wide range of legitimate purposes, could satisfy the primary purpose test in this bill. Nevertheless, for the avoidance of doubt, Labor has asked the government to respond to the concerns expressed by the committee about this issue by inserting into the explanatory memorandum a clarification that the bill will not target VPN services. As a result, this amendment is superfluous.

I note, too, the undesirability of including in primary legislation a reference to a particular technology. We should strive to produce technology-neutral drafting. Thus, Labor will not support this amendment.