Australia's Coalition MPs are urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to reconsider Labor’s divisive misinformation bill, as concerns grow about potential friction with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his prominent supporter, tech billionaire Elon Musk.

The push comes amid ongoing legal disputes between Musk's social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and Australia's contentious eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.

There are lots of reasons why we should drop Labor's Orwellian efforts to control our speech through its "misinformation" laws, but they would also introduce a burr in the Australia-US relationship.

Anthony Albanese's relationship with the re-elected Trump administration is…

— Senator Matt Canavan (@mattjcan) November 7, 2024

Senator Matt Canavan warned that the misinformation bill could create unnecessary strain between Australia and the United States. “The Albanese-Trump relationship is already off to a rocky start,” Canavan stated, adding, “We should be trying to reduce any unnecessary further tension.”

Australia passes Misinformation Bill through Lower House that will give the Government powers to censor social media posts.

The Bill will be voted on next in the Upper House if passed it will become legislation. pic.twitter.com/BVtQMdnj1W

— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) November 7, 2024

The Coalition’s apprehension mirrors unease in the tech sector, where top U.S. executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, have previously raised concerns with President Trump about stringent European regulations.

Following his landslide victory over Vice-President Kamala Harris, Trump is expected to adopt a more lenient approach to tech regulation than his predecessor, President Biden.

Misinfo disinfo bill set to pass.

This is an act of betrayal against the Australian people.

They did this whilst we were distracted with the US election.

They hate you. pic.twitter.com/p2tmJco4u2

— Alex James (@actualAlexJames) November 7, 2024

This shift has prompted renewed calls from the Coalition for the Albanese government to at least defer the bill until a stable rapport with the new Trump administration can be formed.

Musk, who was a vocal supporter of Trump during the election, has been openly critical of the Albanese government’s legislation, labelling its approach to online safety as "fascist." Musk’s platform X is currently in a legal struggle with the eSafety Commissioner over demands to remove global access to specific content, including a video depicting a violent incident in Sydney. Musk referred to Inman Grant as a "censorship commissar" in response to her enforcement efforts.

Read this thread.

More power to @mattjcan.

He gets it.

No to misinformation. No to age verification. No to digital ID.

Yes to a return to common sense, evidence based policies.

Australia first.#auspol https://t.co/cIcajsSucX

— Matthew Camenzuli (@Matt_Camenzuli) November 7, 2024

Senator Canavan emphasised the importance of fostering a smooth diplomatic relationship with the U.S., especially given past criticisms of Trump by senior Labor figures. “This is not just about X and Elon Musk,” Canavan noted. “Mr Trump has repeatedly spoken about his discussions with tech leaders, including Tim Cook, over European penalties. We should be doing everything we can to remove areas of disagreement with the US to stabilise our important friendship.”

These teal "independents" just voted for the Government's Misinformation and Disinformation (MAD) Bill.

They think the government should be allowed to tell you what you can and can't see or hear. pic.twitter.com/KfOBudEjxf

— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) November 7, 2024

In response, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland aimed to sell the government's "commitment to Australian sovereignty and online safety." “The sovereignty of our laws, the sovereignty of our parliament and the welfare of Australians is paramount to this government,” Rowland stated. “Every company that operates in Australia, whether domiciled here or otherwise, is expected and must comply with Australian law or face the consequences.”

Please donate to support our independent journalism in Australia

Unlike almost all of our mainstream media competitors, Rebel News Australia doesn't receive any government funding. We rely on our generous audience to keep us reporting.

Optional email code

Canadian Dollars U.S. Dollars Australian Dollars British Pounds

Amount

$25

$50

$75

$100

$250

$500

$1,000

$2,500

Other

$

One-time

Monthly

DONATE