Misinformation Bill Passes 78 To 57 in House of Representatives
Despite widespread opposition from the Australian public, Labor’s “Misinformation and Disinformation” Bill has passed the House of Representatives by 78 votes to 57.
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), which has voiced strong opposition to both this Bill and a previous Exposure Draft, has called the Bill “Orwellian” and “an unmatched threat to freedom of speech in Australia”.
Similar to the former Draft Exposure Bill, which received over 23,000 responses from the Australian public during the consultation process, this Bill seeks to endow The Australian Communications and Media Authority, or ACMA, with broad new powers to censor online content.
State Control
Michelle Pearse, CEO of the ACL, said,
“The proposed legislation would allow the Government of the day to impose their subjective view of ‘truth’ onto public discourse and effectively silence dissenting voices.”
If passed through the Senate, digital platforms could be threatened with enormous fines should they fail to remove “misinformation”.
“By granting ACMA the ability to arbitrarily determine what is ‘false, misleading, or deceptive’ and what is ‘reasonably likely to cause or contribute to harm’, this Bill gives the Government unprecedented control over the media narrative on contentious and disputed topics.”
“This is especially concerning for Christians and Australians who disagree with radical ideologies being pushed by influential fringe groups,” Pearse continued.
“We have already seen the E-Commissioner forcibly remove posts on X which criticise radical gender ideology.”
Undemocratic
“Many Members opposing this legislation expressed such concerns today, but unfortunately, the Government is pushing this through,” Pearse warned.
“The Department’s own Impact Analysis states the Bill would stop the spread of information that might reverse ‘the rights of women and LGBTQI+ people’, suggesting it may well silence pro-life views and views that oppose trans ideology.”
“Limiting freedom of speech in this way threatens democracy itself,” Pearse said.
“The ACL is disappointed to see the Australian Government rush these reforms through the House of Representatives after giving Australians only 11 days to formally respond to the Bill.”
The ACL calls on the Government to abandon its Misinformation Disinformation Bill and commit to protecting democratic freedom of speech.
___
Republished with thanks to the Australian Christian Lobby via the Australian Prayer Network. Image courtesy of Unsplash.
11 Comments
Leave A Comment
Recent Articles:
23 January 2025
11.9 MINS
Some vaccine-injured people recognised what happened to them, accepted it, and joined the campaign for better research and vaccine safety. Yet, this has not uniformly been the case. A good many others remain in the dark, despite dealing with sudden and ongoing mystery illnesses.
-
23 January 2025
5.7 MINS
I am using "and" in my title more as a type of contrast. So, I am not saying the recent Trump inauguration was a Christian revival, but some similarities can nonetheless be mentioned.
-
23 January 2025
3.8 MINS
The more often Americans attend virtually any Christian denomination, as well as Jewish services, the more likely they are to adopt conservative political views, according to a recent statistical analysis. “The more Democrats go to church, the more they look like Republicans,” states the study.
22 January 2025
4.5 MINS
In his inaugural speech, President Trump vowed 'we will not forget our God'. On retaking the White House, Trump has already acted on his promise to stand for Christian values. Check out his day one reforms here and learn how you can pray for the incoming administration.
22 January 2025
3 MINS
Donald Trump has cemented his 2025 inauguration by proclaiming the dawn of an American Golden Age. Flanked by Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the Trump family, and Elon Musk, the 45th and now 47th President of the United States declared a “new era of national success.”
22 January 2025
5.5 MINS
Donald Trump has been inaugurated as president of the United States for the second time. While there may be surface political change and new political dynamics, what about the state of civilisation?
-
22 January 2025
5.8 MINS
As wildfires rage across southern California, anger against Democrats’ mismanagement is burning brightly. California Republicans have blasted Newsom for focusing on opposing President-elect Donald Trump instead of the fires.
Wow, what a spectacle! 78 to 57, a victory for those who want to be silenced, not have to think, and preferring to be told by our ‘leaders’ what to think say and do! Like sheep to the slaughter comes to mind!
My response is that ‘I will not be silenced, I will not stop thinking, and I will not stop praying’. This is a classic case of ‘a bad law’ that God’s people will not submit to.
AMEN!!!!
There will be no more democracy in Australia. They will end up with the rights to silence campaigns supporting the opposition. Why didnt that alone stop the bill?
The living God is giving everyone in leadership the opportunity to openly show what they stand for. Which they are doing.
When our God calls every person to account, which He will certainly do one day soon, He will be thoroughly vindicated in His righteous judgements.
Meanwhile our joy and privilege is to speak the truth :))
Jesus said, the truth will set us free:))
And as Topher Field has said, good men break bad laws.
…and the angels in heaven wept…
A sad day for Australia!
We need the list of names who voted for this evil law ? Satan rules Parliament. Australia is lost ! We are to be slaves .
AYES, 79
Mr Albanese
Ms Daniel
Dr Leigh
Ms Rowland
Dr Aly
Ms Doyle
Mr Lim
Ms J Ryan
Dr Ananda-Rajah
Mr Dreyfus
Ms McBain
Dr M Ryan
Ms Belyea
Mrs Elliot
Ms McBride
Dr Scamps
Mr Bowen
Ms Fernando
Ms Miller-Frost
Ms Scrymgour
Mr Burke
Dr Freelander
Mr B Mitchell
Mr Shorten
Mr Burnell
Dr Garland
Mr R Mitchell
Ms Sitou
Ms Burney
Mr Georganas
Dr Mulino
Mr Smith*
Mr Burns
Mr Giles
Mr Neumann
Ms Stanley*
Mr Butler
Mr Gorman
Mr O’Connor
Ms Steggall
Ms Byrnes
Mr Gosling
Ms O’Neil
Ms Swanson
Dr Chalmers
Mr Hill
Ms Payne
Ms Templeman
Ms Chaney
Mr Husic
Mr Perrett
Mr Thistlethwaite
Dr Charlton
Mr Jones
Mrs Phillips
Ms Tink
Ms Chesters
Ms Kearney
Ms Plibersek
Ms Vamvakinou
Mr Clare
Mr Keogh
Mr Rae
Mr Watts
Ms Claydon
Ms C King
Dr Reid
Ms Wells
Ms Coker
Ms M. M. H. King
Mr Repacholi
Mr J Wilson
Ms Collins
Ms Lawrence
Ms Rishworth
Mr Zappia
Mr Conroy
Mr Laxale
Ms Roberts
NOES, 57
Mrs Andrews
Mr Goodenough
Mrs McIntosh
Mr Taylor
Mrs Archer
Dr Haines
Mrs Marino
Mr Tehan
Ms Bell
Mr Hamilton
Mr Ted O’Brien
Mr Thompson
Mr Birrell
Mr Hawke
Mr L O’Brien
Mr van Manen
Mr Boyce
Mr Hogan
Mr Pasin
Mr Vasta
Mr Broadbent
Mr Howarth
Mr Pearce
Mr Violi
Mr Buchholz
Mr Joyce
Mr Pike
Mr Wallace
Mr Caldwell
Mr Katter
Mr Pitt
Ms Ware
Mr Chester
Mr Kennedy
Ms Price
Dr Webster
Mr Conaghan
Ms Landry
Mr Ramsey*
Mr Wilkie
Mr Coulton*
Mr Leeser
Ms Sharkie
Mr Willcox
Mr Dutton
Ms Ley
Ms Spender
Mr R Wilson
Mr Entsch
Mr Littleproud
Mr Stevens
Mr Wolahan
Mr Fletcher
Mr McCormack
Mr Sukkar
Mr Young
Mr Gee
This is old news. It was passed during the US election, while no one was looking. It is now before the Senate and won’t become law without Senate approval. But, since UNder-handed politicians snuck this through, the world has changed dramatically. Trump was elected! So, that now raises a question.
If this bill is passed in the Senate, how can it be enforced?
Trump has said he will criminalise social media censorship. So, then, how can Australia sue Americans for upholding America’s constitution, ie., freedom of speech?
What this means for any American company, is that if they censor anyone in Australia (or anywhere else) they can be prosecuted in America for censoring us. A powerful disincentive!
This whole situation is MAD. It hasn’t been thought through. Let’s look at possible scenario.
We are only a small country of 26mil. Their revenue comes from billions. They can afford to dump us! If Google, Facebook, Youtube and others decide they don’t want to pay the massive fines Australia wants to impose on them, they have the option of removing their services from Australia.
And what will happen then?
Our society will collapse! Think about it! No online banking, no online business or shopping, no online bill paying, no mobile phones, no international trade, no QR codes, etc., in fact it would the end of the whole Digital ID dream.
That is exactly the opposite to what the global overlords want to happen in Australia.
So, the reality is, the Senate CAN’T vote in favour of the MAD bill, because it will not only put Australia between a fiscal rock and hard place, but destroy Labor’s usefulness to the global overlords. Even Labor Senators will not vote in favour of this bill!!!
It’s not going to happen! The election of Trump KILLED it! It’s dead in the water!
This is old news. It was passed during the US election, while no one was looking. It is now before the Senate and won’t become law without Senate approval. But, since UNder-handed politicians snuck this through, the world has changed dramatically. Trump was elected! So, that now raises a question.
If this bill is passed in the Senate, how can it be enforced?
Trump has said he will criminalise social media censorship. So, then, how can Australia sue Americans for upholding America’s constitution, ie., freedom of speech?
What this means for any American company. is that if they censor anyone in Australia (or anywhere else) they can be prosecuted in America for censoring us. A powerful disincentive!
This whole situation is MAD. It hasn’t been thought through. Let’s look at a possible scenario.
We are only a small country of 26mil. Their revenue comes from billions. They can afford to dump us! If Google, Facebook, Youtube and others decide they don’t want to pay the massive fines Australia wants to impose on them, they have the option of removing their services from Australia.
And what will happen then?
Our society will collapse! Think about it! No online banking, no online business or shopping, no online bill paying, no mobile phones, no international trade, no QR codes, etc., in fact it would be the end of the whole Digital ID dream.
That is exactly the opposite to what the global overlords want to happen in Australia.
So, the reality is, the Senate CAN’T vote in favour of the MAD bill, because it will not only put Australia between a fiscal rock and hard place, but destroy Labor’s usefulness to the global overlords. Even Labor Senators will not vote in favour of this bill!!!
It’s not going to happen! The election of Trump KILLED it! It’s dead in the water!
Thanking God that this Bill that was passed in such an underhand way, during the US election time, has now hit a brick wall (Nov 20 onwards).
After much prayer by many, many emails and letters and calls to Senators, the bill is being rejected by the public (especially by Christians.)
That shows a turn around that only God could give as more Senators have now sided against it and changed their mind.
May we pray through to the end as it will go to the Senate this week or by the end of the November Parl. sitting.
Constitutional rights are at stake and so are our historical values….We can never be complacent while there are ‘Hamans’ around us who wish to silence democratic and Judeo Christin voices; they are waiting in the wings, to pass evil bills.
BT this time round God has helped us see the great victory of free speech, and He is honoring many prayers and actions of proactive Australians…We are not yet over the line but by faith we count it as Gods victory, for His glory. Amen