LABOR’S NEW LEGISLATION ATTACKING FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Labor’s planned Misinformation laws should not be imposed on residents in Dawson, or anywhere around Australia.

Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says the Albanese Government’s plan would amount to an attack on freedom of speech and expression across Australia.

The hardworking Dawson MP says under the planned legislation, there would be one rule for Government MPs and another for every-day Australians who are just wanting to have their say.

The Government’s plans have been set out in their exposure draft of the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2023.

“I’ve been raising this issue with my colleagues, and we agree that this is a bad bill which should be torn up and thrown in the bin,” Mr Willcox said.

“Freedom of speech is fundamental to our democracy, and I won’t stay quiet when it’s under attack.

“Labor’s new piece of legislation is a gross overreach of Government, placing the Prime Minister in the driver’s seat of what is considered ‘truth’ and ‘fiction’.

“It’s not only an attack on our freedom of speech, but on our Australian way of life.

“We live in this country because we value a free and open nation with free and open dialogue.

“This legislation is completely at odds with that central Australian value.

“I will be fighting this legislation tooth and nail.”

Shadow Minister for Communications David Coleman said the Bill gives the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) extraordinary powers.

“It would lead to digital companies self-censoring the legitimately held views of Australians to avoid the risk of massive fines,” Mr Coleman said.

The many problems with the Bill include:

• Authorised content by the Albanese Government can’t be misinformation, but criticisms of the Albanese Government by ordinary Australians can be misinformation.

• The definition of “misinformation” is so broad that it could capture many statements made by Australians in the context of political debate.

• Nothing an academic says can be misinformation, but statements by somebody disagreeing with an academic can be misinformation.

• Good faith statements made by entertainers cannot be misinformation, but good faith statements made by ordinary Australians on political matters can be misinformation.

• Journalists commenting on their personal digital platforms could have their content removed as misinformation.

• If the Minister has a favoured digital platform, then that platform could be entirely removed from the application of the misinformation laws.

Under the Albanese Government’s proposed laws, ACMA would gain sweeping powers to require any Australian to appear at a time and place of its choosing to answer questions about misinformation or disinformation.  Heavy fines would apply for non-attendance.

“The Albanese Government has got this horribly wrong,” Mr Coleman said.

“This Bill is appalling and will be strongly opposed by the Coalition.”