Social media ban: Anthony Albanese concedes Federal Labor forced to commit to laws after States jumped ahead

Anthony Albanese has conceded that the Federal Government was forced to commit to a social media ban in order to ensure a national response to online issues, as several States jumped ahead and announced their own laws.

Weighing in on the debate over the age limit on Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister said it was his belief the laws should come into effect for people aged under 16.

The comments come in the wake of South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas announcing that his Government would push ahead with laws, potentially for those aged under 14, off the back of a report by former High Court chief justice Robert French.

Victoria has also since committed to introducing laws.

“One of the things that we wanted to do is to make sure that when I had the discussion at National Cabinet last week with all the premiers and chief ministers, that we don’t end up having eight different systems,” Mr Albanese said on FM radio.

“So the right age is between 14 and 16. I have a personal view. I err on the side of a higher limit.”

Asked by FM radio host Michael Wipfli if that meant a limit of 16, Mr Albanese replied: “That’s where I’m at.

“But I want to make sure that we don’t end up with different systems in different States.

“We want a national approach to an issue, which is a national issue. So that’s one of the reasons why we’ve got out there and made this announcement, perhaps earlier than we would have.

“We were going to wait for the trial and then make an announcement. But we wanted to make it clear of where we were headed, that we will have legislation by the end of the year.”

Shadow communications minister David Coleman criticised the announcement, saying the Prime Minister had not identified an age limit, despite pressure to do so.

“Now what the PM has done today, he’s obviously responding to events, to the South Australian premier,” he said.

“He wants to look like he’s doing something, so he’s rushed out, ‘We’re going to do this. But he doesn’t know what the age will be’.

“How can you have an age verification system for social media when you haven’t even worked out what age you think it should be. That is just policy on the run.”

WA Premier Roger Cook said that he would await advice on the appropriate age limit for the ban to apply at but stressed the need for national consistency.

“I don’t think we want a situation where some where a social media company has to regulate access for, say, a 12-year-old in Western Australia but not a 12-year-old in South Australia,” he said.

“That just creates confusion. I’ve always said that this should be a national approach.

“My Government stands ready to legislate as part of a uniform approach right across this country.”