Brief
Coalition and Greens push Senate inquiry into Labor's digital duty of care bill
Both opposition parties intend to send the government’s online‑safety package to a Senate committee, with the Coalition targeting a November 24 reporting date.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Australia’s opposition parties are moving to refer Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s digital duty of care legislation to a Senate inquiry, according to reporting by the Sydney Morning Herald.
What happened
On Tuesday, Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson‑Young and Coalition senator Sarah Henderson confirmed that their parties would seek a Senate inquiry into Labor’s suite of online‑protection laws. Both said the inquiry should report before the end of the year, though a final reporting date has not been set.
What the reports add
Henderson criticised the bill as “deeply flawed” and said she would ask the Senate to hand down a report by 24 November, the final sitting week of the year. Hanson‑Young said the Greens would support an inquiry but did not specify a preferred reporting date, noting that Greens sources are open to a timetable that could allow amended legislation to pass before year‑end.
What was said
Henderson told reporters, “I trust this will be supported by the Senate when voted on [Wednesday]. The inquiry will be a crucial opportunity to examine Labor’s insidious agenda to control what you say and see online.” Hanson‑Young said, “I am keen to make sure the Senate can kick the tyres on the government’s proposed laws to make sure it actually works. We want digital duty of care that has teeth and will actually keep people safe from big tech’s toxic algorithms.”
How it came about
Labor’s digital duty of care package, announced earlier this year, would give users the ability to turn off algorithmic feeds and sue platforms for online harm. The opposition has argued the draft gives ministers too much discretion to define “online harm,” a point that Communications Minister Anika Wells has since walked back. An exposure draft released on 8 September proposed penalties of $109.2 million for breaches, a figure the Greens say should be increased.
Key facts
- Both the Greens and the Coalition plan to refer Labor's digital duty of care bill to a Senate inquiry. (smh.com.au)
- Coalition senator Sarah Henderson wants the inquiry report by 24 November. (smh.com.au)
- Greens spokeswoman Sarah Hanson‑Young supports an inquiry but has not set a specific reporting date. (smh.com.au)
- The draft legislation proposes penalties of $109.2 million for corporations that breach online safety rules. (smh.com.au)
- Communications Minister Anika Wells said existing laws cannot block a livestreamed execution in the United States. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Digital Duty of Care: Algorithm off-switch to face delay as Coalition, Greens prepare inquiry”
