STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr FRENCH (Moore) (13:53): There's a quote attributed to Walter Isaacson that I've been thinking about. He wrote: The technology that promised to connect us found a better business model in dividing us. I reckon that captures one of the biggest problems facing our society.

Social media was supposed to bring people together. Instead the business model rewards outrage, anger and division because keeping people angry keeps them engaged and keeping them engaged makes money. Now we're watching artificial intelligence accelerate this problem.

Content can be produced almost instantly, fake news sites imitate genuine journalism, and the distinction between reporting and manufactured content is becoming difficult to identify. Meanwhile, local newspapers have been disappearing. The journalists who attended council meetings, reported on local businesses and held decision-makers accountable have increasingly been replaced by algorithms.

That's why it's encouraging to see local publications, like the North Coast Post in my electorate, serving communities like Moore, because journalism isn't just about producing words on a screen. It's about having someone who knows their community, asks difficult questions and takes responsibility for what they publish. Technology should serve the public, but, when the companies that control the technology make more money from dividing us than informing us, we've got a serious problem.

We need a digital economy that rewards reliable information, not manufactured outrage. And we need to make sure artificial intelligence strengthens Australian communities rather than further undermining the institutions they depend on.