Australia's toxic censorship laws face collapse in Senate
Labor's Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, described as 'one of the worst pieces of legislation ever,' looks unlikely to pass amid warnings that nothing is ever certain in politics.
The Albanese government’s Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, a significant part of Labor’s policy agenda, is now on the verge of failure after gaining strong opposition from both Coalition and crossbench Senators.
Despite sustained efforts to push the unpopular legislation forward, it now faces a near-certain collapse in the Senate.
The bill has attracted considerable criticism for its likely potential to infringe on free speech. Critics have described it as "anti-free speech", "extreme", and a form of "state-sanctioned censorship".
The misinformation bill is not dead yet.
— Senator Matt Canavan (@mattjcan) November 20, 2024
I was honoured to continue the fight for free speech with Michael @shellenberger in Parliament House this morning.
As Michael points out, this is a coordinated, global effort to silence people. Many of their efforts have failed overseas… pic.twitter.com/knJ77sm8cY
Under the proposed laws, social media platforms would be required to identify and remove content that is "reasonably verifiable as false", with penalties for content deemed to cause "serious harm" through what the government decides is "misinformation or disinformation."
My position on the Communications Legislation Amendment (Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation) Bill 2024. #auspol #democracy #freedom pic.twitter.com/fqVAaLJWgj
— Fatima Payman (@SenatorPayman) November 15, 2024
The legislation has drawn concern over its vague definitions and overreach, leading many to believe it would limit open expression. Since Communications Minister Michelle Rowland released a draft of the bill for public consultation in June 2023, the government has worked hard to refine it, but opposition has only grown.
Senators from across the political spectrum have united against the bill. Key crossbench Senators, including David Pocock, Fatima Payman, and Lidia Thorpe, have confirmed their intent to vote against it. Other notable figures, including Pauline Hanson and Jacqui Lambie, have also expressed strong opposition.
BREAKING: On Monday, @OneNationAus will force a vote to throw Albanese’s Misinformation and Disinformation Bill out of Parliament.
— Pauline Hanson 🇦🇺 (@PaulineHansonOz) November 20, 2024
Will the Coalition and crossbench back their words with action and stand with One Nation, or will they fold and go soft on the Albanese Labor… pic.twitter.com/BiiP9kyqwq
The Greens remain indecisive on their stance, though their position is unlikely to influence the bill’s fate unless there are shifts in the views of crossbench Senators.
The Coalition has remained firm in its rejection, branding the bill as "one of the worst pieces of legislation" ever presented by an Australian government.
As the summer recess nears, the likelihood of the bill passing seems increasingly slim, with the government yet to secure the necessary support in the Senate.
