Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Online Safety Amendment (Strengthening Enforcement for the Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2026, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

Document: Senator Watt tabled the following document:

Consideration of legislation—Statement of reasons for the introduction and passage of the bill in the 2026 winter sittings.

I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement reads as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2026 WINTER SITTINGS

ONLINE SAFETY AMENDMENT (SOCIAL MEDIA MINIMUM AGE) BILL 2026

Purpose of the Bill

The Bill amends the Online Safety Act 2021 to strengthen the operation of the social media minimum age framework by expanding the eSafety Commissioner's information-gathering powers and increasing applicable civil penalties.

In particular, the Bill would enable the Commissioner to compel the production of documents, as well as information, and to issue information-gathering notices to third parties other than providers of age-restricted social media platforms or electronic service providers, for example, age assurance or app-store providers that supply services to age-restricted social media platforms. It would allow the eSafety Commissioner to request production of information and documents from a person if the Commissioner believes that the person may be a provider of an age-restricted social media platform or a provider of an electronic service.

The Bill would also increase the maximum civil penalty for non-compliance with minimum age obligations from 30,000 to 60,000 penalty units.

Reasons for Urgency

Passage of the Bill in the 2026 Winter sittings is required to urgently strengthen the eSafety Commissioner's ability to effectively investigate and enforce compliance with the social media minimum age framework.

In the absence of these amendments, the Commissioner's capacity to obtain relevant information and respond to potential non-compliance is constrained. Passing the Bill within the current sitting period will ensure that strengthened enforcement powers and increased penalty settings are available in the near term to support investigations underway.

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Communications)