A Victory for Free Speech: Misinformation Bill Repeal Sparks Widespread Reaction

Labor’s withdrawal of the misinformation and disinformation bill due to lack of support has been met with relief by many, but questions about the government’s future direction remain.
Responding to the withdrawal, Opposition leader Peter Dutton said the legislation was a “scandalous attack on free speech, with censorship at its core.”
It would have introduced fines for social media companies—up to 5 percent of their global revenue—if they allowed misinformation and disinformation to spread online.
“Failure to support this bill means this bill will not be legislated, and it means that we will not be in a position to help keep Australians safe with laws that address 21st-century challenges that we and other democracies face,” she said on Nov. 25.
The bill failed to gain enough support because some Senators thought it went too far, while others thought it did not go far enough.
“But it’s clear that …. on this case, the Senate was not prepared to find common ground or support it as a step in the right direction when it comes to holding big tech to account,” she said.
The minister extended an invitation to all parliamentarians to work with the government on other proposals to strengthen democratic institutions, keep Australians safe online, and safeguard values like freedom of expression.
“Usually, when people respond to a government consultation process, you will get a few of the different organisations that will put their views in. Maybe you’ll get a few dozen. If it’s really big, you might get a few hundred,” he said.
“This bill had 24,000 people make submissions, overwhelmingly stating their objections to the bill and highlighting the flaws in the bill.”
Birmingham said there were still unanswered questions, adding, “I don’t know whether this legislation is still the government’s policy or not.”
Senator Michaelia Cash said the bill was about the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party “seeking to censor the free speech of the Australian people in this nation.”
“Alternative proposals include: Legislating to strengthen offences targeting the sharing of non-consensual and sexually explicit deepfakes—a vital and urgent first step secured by the attorney-general.”