Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee (part 1 of 2)
9 November 2026
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Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee Parliament of Australia
Follow its sittings12:22 - 14:52
Speaker 3
declare open this second hearing of the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee's inquiry into the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Duty of Care) Bill 2026. I begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet and pay my respects to their elders past and present and I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today. These proceedings are being audio streamed live via the parliament's website and a Hansard transcript is being made. If there are no objections, the committee authorizes media recording and photography of the committee's proceedings in accordance with broadcasting resolution 3 and I remind any media present during the course of the day that this permission can be revoked at any time and that the media must follow the direction of secretariat staff. I remind all witnesses that in giving evidence to the committee, they are protected by parliamentary privilege.
It is unlawful for anyone to threaten or disadvantage a witness on account of evidence given to a committee and such action may be treated by the Senate as a contempt. It is also a contempt to give false or misleading evidence to the Senate. The committee generally prefers evidence to be given in public, but under the Senate's resolutions, witnesses have the right to request to be heard in private session. The Senate has resolved that an officer of a department of the Commonwealth or of a state shall not be asked to give opinions on matters of policy and shall be given reasonable opportunity to refer questions asked to the officer to superior officers or to a minister. This resolution does not preclude questions asking for explanations of policies or factual questions about when and how policies were adopted.
If a witness objects to answering a question, they shall say the ground upon which the objection is made and the committee will determine whether it will insist on an answer having regard to the ground which is claimed. If the committee determines to insist on an answer, a witness may request the answer be given in camera. Commonwealth officers appearing today are also reminded of the Senate orders specifying the process by which a claim of public interest immunity should be raised. A copy of the order is available from the Secretariat. I remind senators here today and online of their obligations under the behaviour code for Australian parliamentarians to treat witnesses with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect and as chair I will uphold that code.
Answers to questions on notice taken to that in today's hearing should be returned by Friday, 13 November 2026. Those formalities out of the way, I now welcome representatives from the Working with Women Alliance and by video conference from Equality Australia. I understand that information on parliamentary privilege and the protection of witnesses has been provided to you. Yes, there's nodding and affirmation at the table. There's nodding and affirmation online. Thank you very much.
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