Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

McKENZIE (—) (): My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The Albanese government has been forced to scrap its disastrous Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024 after realising that every single non-Labor senator was going to vote against it. This followed criticism from distinguished experts like Professor Anne Twomey, who said that she was worried that your government would 'create worse problems through large-scale censorship of contested views and the undermining of democracy in the name of cleansing it from misinformation'. Can the Prime Minister promised the Australian people that he will not reintroduce this bill or any similar bill after the next election?

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

I thank the senator for her question, although I was anticipating a cost-of-living question. I'm very happy to respond in relation to the legislation that the government did withdraw today, and I thank Senator McAllister for her handling of that. I will say three things: first, the minister issued a statement in relation to this on the weekend; second, Senator McAllister, who is the representing minister, spoke today about the issues. Obviously, the bill did not have the support of the chamber, which is why the government made the decision to withdraw it. What I would say to you, Senator McKenzie, and this is a serious question, is that our democracy is under threat and at risk from foreign interference, foreign disinformation and misinformation, including—as people might remember—Russian bots and campaigns—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator McKenzie?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevancy. Does this remain the Prime Minister's policy? Yes or no?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, you forgot the quite large preamble at the beginning of your question, which the minister is being directly relevant to.

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

I would say to Senator McKenzie that there is a serious question about making sure our democracy is resilient in an age where misinformation and disinformation are far more prevalent. First and foremost, I am a small-d democrat, and I believe in protecting the institutions of our democracy. I would hope, Senator McKenzie, that you do too. The problem is that there are elements who wish to use the openness of our society in order to damage the democracy. The democracy does require us to ensure that we do not have misinformation and disinformation fuelling risk to who we are and to our institutions. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a first supplementary question?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens, whom Labor gives its second preference to every single election, have said that their main reason for not voting for your bill is that your misinformation bill doesn't go far enough. Will the government rule out any deal with the Greens to reintroduce an expanded misinformation and internet censorship bill after the next election?

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

Again, I would say to you, Senator, that the government has withdrawn this bill. The government has made clear it is not proceeding with the bill. Senator McKenzie, if you—

Senator Cash, you've caused enough trouble recently; do you think it would be possible to just leave this alone? You know exactly what I mean.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Wong please continue.

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

We are not proceeding with the bill, and I am advised that this includes not reintroducing this bill, but I would again say to you, Senator McKenzie—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about the Greens?

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

You're the one voting with the Greens; why don't you ask them? You ask me about the Greens. You're the one that voted with them. Why don't you ask them what they will introduce? You've probably got more knowledge about their policy agenda than we have.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, second supplementary?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the Albanese Labor government can't or won't say whether it will pursue this bill again or if it will do a deal with the Greens following the next election, how are the thousands of Australians who oppose the bill meant to think anything other than it being a delaying tactic by Labor rather than a genuine withdrawal?

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

There's a bit more misinformation! I just said we will not be proceeding with the bill; I just said that. I'll say it again: we are not proceeding with this bill. We will not be reintroducing this bill; that is what we have said. I would say to you is we do have to—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After the next election?

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

You are desperate for a scare campaign, aren't you? You really are. You don't want to listen to what I have to say. What I would say to you is there is an issue with disinformation and misinformation in our democracy, and those of us who care about democratic institutions—including the few on those sides of the chamber who do about democratic institutions—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath! Senator McKenzie!

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

should work with the government on working out how we protect our democracy against disinformation and misinformation. That would be the responsible thing to do, Senator McKenzie, and I invite you to be responsible.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators, before I call Senator Green, I remind you that interjections are incredibly disorderly, and, quite frankly, yelling louder than the person whose microphone is on is incredibly disorderly.