Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I'm about the say in this chamber right now may soon get me censored on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X, aka Twitter, if the Labor government gets its way. The proposed combating misinformation and disinformation bill will give the government, but more importantly the bureaucracy behind the government, power to decide what is true and what must be silenced. Big tech companies could be fined millions of dollars if they do not gag everyday Australians, but it gets worse. Governments, along with professional news outlets, are exempt. They can say whatever they like while everyone else who disagrees gets muzzled.

This is a serious attack on free speech. This ministry of truth would make George Orwell turn in his grave. But here's the million-dollar question: who decides what is misinformation or disinformation? Who makes that call? Is it misinformation to say there are only two genders? Is it misinformation to say that the world's not going to end in 10 years because of 'global boiling'—thank you, United Nations? Is it misinformation to say that people shouldn't be force injected by their government? Is it misinformation to say that Jesus rose from the dead? Is it misinformation to say that COVID-19 mRNA injections hurt people? Is that misinformation? Is it misinformation to say that masks don't work? I'll tell you what; they don't work. Everyday Australians can all see where this is going. I can see it; can you see it at home? It's going the way of the communists and the fascists. That's how it's going, and to that I say, 'Enough.' We need to make free speech free again. The government has no right regulating anyone's speech.