Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move government amendments (1) and (2) on sheet HA125:

(1)   Clause 50, page 37 (line 13), omit "sector.", substitute "sector;".

(2)   Clause 50, page 37 (after line 13), at the end of subclause (2), add:

(g) child welfare or child wellbeing.

I table an explanatory memorandum relating to the government's amendments moved to the Enhancing Online Safety for Children Bill 2014, and I will provide some background to the amendments that I have moved. Currently clause 50 of the bill sets out the eligibility criteria for the statutory role of the Children's e-Safety Commissioner. It states that the minister must be satisfied that a person is not eligible to be appointed as the commissioner unless they have substantial experience or knowledge and significant standing in at least one of a range of fields, including the fields of the operation of social media services and public engagement on issues relating to online safety. The amendments put forward today will expand the range of fields to include experience or knowledge in child welfare or child wellbeing. These amendments respond to submissions made by a number of stakeholders to the Senate committee inquiry into the bill.