QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Ms WELLS (Lilley—Minister for Sport and Minister for Communications) (14:39): I thank the member for Moreton for her question, one of our foremost thinkers on the nexus between social media and social cohesion. In one generation, online technology has given international terrorists full access to Australian children. The average age of a minor being investigated by ASIO is now 15 years old, the youngest it has ever been.
The timeline of radicalisation has changed from months and years to weeks or now even days. Social media and online platforms have been used to provoke polarisation and to create a permissive breeding ground for real-world violence. If the platforms have been incubators and accelerators for extremism to date, we hold grave fears that artificial intelligence could make these problems worse.
Our national security organisations and law enforcement are doing everything in their power to protect Australians from the rising threat of terrorism and extremism. But Australia's proposed digital duty of care will go right to the source, putting the onus on big tech to identify, detect and prevent the risk of online terrorism and extremism before it occurs.
I welcome the support of Australia's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, who today called on parliament to work together and pass the proposed digital duty of care when it is introduced in October. At the royal commission, the special envoy spoke about how, within hours of the Bondi attack, social media platforms were feeding users denials that it was real, conspiracy theories that it was a false-flag operation, and justifications for the murder of innocent people.
The special envoy joins the many community organisations and public figures who support our digital duty of care. The proposed duty should not be controversial or political. Terrorists should not be able to live-stream their attacks or recruit children through online games.
AI chatbots should not instruct children how to commit violent acts. Protecting Australians from illegal material and protecting children from harm should be a bipartisan priority. Yet the Leader of the Opposition has called Australia's proposed digital duty of care a 'Big Brother bill', and, just an hour or two ago, the member for Cooke thundered, 'We will not let this woman continue to censor everyday Australians.' Honourable members interjecting— Opposition members: This woman!
Ms WELLS: You said it. The Leader of the Opposition describes his desired changes to the duty of care— Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Member for Barton! Chief Government Whip!
Member for Cooke! Ms WELLS: The Leader of the Opposition is not a bystander to national debate. I implore him and others to listen to the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism.
Let's work together to protect children online.