Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Senator, I wasn't aware of that evidence from last week until you just outlined it, and I think that is grotesque. I think all Australians would agree that we would want our children protected from all of the ways in which the online world can cause harm. Our regulatory system does require us, as parliamentarians, as legislators and as members of executive government, to do more. We know the online world does present new and emerging risks. What I would say to you is that we have quadrupled eSafety's base funding, bringing it to $42.5 million each year with funding ongoing and indexed, in recognition of the range of risks that online users face, and we have brought forward the independent review of the Online Safety Act. But none of that detracts from the ethical obligations and the responsibilities that these platforms have that they are not discharging for Australians. (Time expired)