Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) Bill 2021. I've spoken many times in this place about the importance of supporting regional media organisations and ensuring there is a balance within our media market. Although we may not have balance in this country, I will do everything in my power to support the ability of regional media to tell the stories of our beloved communities—firstly, because they deserve a voice, and telling the story of our country in this place is paramount to our democracy, and, secondly, because the free flow of information has become such a normal part of our lives, and it helps solidify us as a people.

Facebook and Google are amongst the most powerful entities in the world. They wield so much power over our lives, firstly, in their ability to provide us with information and, secondly, in their ability to control many aspects of what we see and how frequently we see it. It's an unparalleled power. They are more powerful than government and traditional media.

People have strong views about social media platforms. For the most part I believe they are a wonderful resource for a curious mind, but in recent times they have become a matrix which we almost religiously tap into and follow every day, sometimes getting lost. Screen time for many of us would now average between three and four hours per day, without us even being consciously aware of how often we are using the platform and the devices on which we access this information.

Over many years Facebook has evolved from a platform that connected individuals and created networks to a most comprehensive piece of infrastructure to provide us with information about anyone and anything. It is an advertiser's dream, with access to every company and brand the world over. It has also become such an important source of news and stimulation for over 19 million Australians. Traditional media, like newspapers, radio and television, have since been bypassed. For too many Australians, Facebook is where they get their news from.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Facebook provides us with the ability to access news media when they allow news organisations to utilise their platform to reach millions of Australians, and now it has unceremoniously taken that from us.

Facebook has a particular business model and it expects all others to pay it for the service it provides, to pay for its infrastructure and technology that connects 2.8 billion people globally. Facebook does not want to pay news services for their content. I believe that's a bit unfair. Many have argued that this act displays an arrogance from an extremely powerful entity that has too much power over the way we live our lives. Others are concerned we will now have less informed opinions because people will not be able to access the news and read it as they have become accustomed. For many, this means that, if they want to consume news, they will have to seek out more traditional forms of media or download the specific app of a news service and potentially pay a subscription to access the information that they want.

I believe there is broad in principle support for a code and regulation of digital platforms. The Morrison government has been late to the party on this issue, like so many others. These social media giants have been in our lives for nearly two decades now and they have been largely unregulated. Mr Morrison has mismanaged this reform like he has mismanaged every reform in this space. In fact, he has mismanaged so many reforms, as we have spoken about so many times in this place.

Many stakeholders have serious and specific concerns with the bill as drafted, and Labor concurs with them. Google and Facebook explained that they would withdraw products and services from Australia if their key concerns were not addressed. It is a failure of the Morrison government for not managing this process better. Australia is trying to recover from a global pandemic. We are a country prone to bushfires and floods. To have a global giant, without a social conscience, that controls the dissemination of information is a dangerous position for this country to be in.

This government is not a government that negotiates or enjoys being critiqued, and now Facebook's decision has disrupted 19 million Australians and 1.3 million small businesses. Labor recognises that the timing of debate and amendment forms part of the government's negotiation strategy with Google and Facebook, but the government really has failed to cooperate with Labor regarding these reforms.

We recognise the power imbalance identified by the ACCC between news media companies and digital platforms and the importance of supporting a diverse public-interest news sector in Australia. Australia needs a workable code, and the Morrison government must address stakeholders' concerns with this bill to ensure that happens. Labor recommends that the government use precise language in public statements regarding what designations it intends to make under the code. It's important that there be no unnecessary uncertainty for the media, digital platforms, small businesses, citizens and consumers who may be impacted.

I want to address the concerns of local media in my home state of Tasmania, because last week, when Facebook decided to cancel journalism on their feed, many journalists feared for their future and their job security, and we know that there already has been a huge impact from so many print media closing their doors, which means fewer opportunities for journalism in this country. Facebook blocking news content hurts everyone. After all, when we are less informed, we are less likely to make rational decisions. Facebook makes millions of dollars out of journalism in Australia. Google has acted constructively with the government and publishers while airing its concerns, and I hope that Facebook does the same.

We need to be grateful that, as Australians, we do have a free press. Although certain news organisations increasingly have agendas and philosophies of thought, we still have a free press. They make editorial decisions and they pick sides, which isn't always dignified, but they make that choice. That is so very important to the health of our democracy. Choice is fundamental in the media market, and now it means Australians will be forced to seek out media instead of seeing it so easily on their Facebook feeds. I think that journalists and media organisations will rise to the challenge they now face. Their work can be accessed via their websites or apps or via Google News Showcase.

Facebook is a huge part of Australia's culture. Most Australians use the platform, and they deserve to have their access to news media readily. A well-informed public serves our democracy better than a public which does not question its government or the actions of politicians. Not being able to access information will damage our communities. People need to access information, including emergency warnings, which affect people's lives in a crisis. I hope that Facebook does the right thing by all Australians. Facebook profits from the 19 million Australians who use its platform to stay in contact with their loved ones and organisations, and it could save a person's life. Facebook is a matrix which promotes the most powerful companies in the world. It's also the largest piece of propaganda infrastructure the world has ever seen. Good, bad or downright ugly, we all use this platform. It can be better, and it should be better.

After all, Facebook, at the moment, couldn't have picked a worse time to take the news feed off their platform. We are facing the worst pandemic in more than a century in this country. At a time when we need to roll out the vaccine to help protect Australians from COVID-19, that platform would have been a vital part of disseminating information. There is a challenge for this government to be able to disseminate information in relation to the vaccine and reassure the Australian people that they should have this vaccine. The rollout, the opportunities and the categories of people in the order in which they will be vaccinated are all very important things that are facing the Australian people at this time. We have managed the pandemic very well compared to overseas countries. There is still a lot more work to be done. We still cannot be complacent, and that's why we need to ensure that people do take the opportunity to have this vaccine. It is not mandatory, but we on this side of the chamber and those on the government side—in fact, I would think, everyone in this chamber—would encourage all Australians to take that opportunity. It does concern me that, with the news feed now being removed from this platform, it will engender some more difficulties in disseminating this information. Facebook can be better, so I urge them to negotiate in good faith and to have a social conscience and a compact with the Australian people.

People have been speaking in this chamber, and I've been listening to the debate, about the money that's going to be raised and where that needs to go. And I know there are going to be amendments to ensure that there is proper funding of the ABC, the public broadcaster in this country, which serves this country and has served this country for decade after decade. So there will be amendments, and I'm looking forward to the debate and the arguments that are put forward then. But I think, too, we must always remember that it's the journalists and the best, most educated and smartest people who work in this field who should be encouraged and should be supported.

In my home state of Tasmania, we have seen a cut to the media, whether it's the journalists or whether it's the television camera people. Being able to access news and to get good news stories out into our community is fundamental to having a robust democracy. I urge those people who are negotiating with Facebook to negotiate in good faith, and I urge people to consider very carefully how we support good journalism in this country—how we can ensure that there is diversity in the media and the presentation of media. We do want to ensure that we have freedom of speech and freedom of media, and we have to do everything we can to ensure we secure that platform for the future.