Labor and Greens Block Inquiry Into eSafety Commissioner’s Powers

Labor and the Greens have blocked a motion to launch an inquiry into the expansive powers held by the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.

The motion, brought forward by Senators Malcolm Roberts and Ralph Babet, aimed to refer the Internet Search Engine Services Online Safety Code to the Environment and Communications References Committee for further investigation. The inquiry sought to examine the Code’s implications for Australians’ privacy, civil liberties, and potential for government overreach in the digital space.

The Senate voted down the motion with a result of 34-27, with members of the government, the Greens, and the crossbench all rejecting the call for an inquiry. In doing so, they blocked any further scrutiny of the eSafety Commissioner’s authority and the controversial measures set to be implemented later this year.

The proposed Online Safety Code would require users of search engines like Google and Bing to undergo invasive age verification measures, including the possible submission of government-issued IDs, biometric data, and facial recognition scans. Critics argue that these requirements could lead to significant violations of privacy and civil liberties.

Senator Ralph Babet condemned the Greens for siding with the Labor government to block the inquiry, stating: “If this motion had passed, Big Tech and the eSafety Commissioner would have been forced to explain themselves in full view of the public.”

Babet continued: “Instead, Labor and the Greens have voted to shield them from scrutiny. No one voted for this Commissioner. Yet she can now demand ID to log in to Google, suppress content she doesn’t like, and do so without sufficient Parliamentary oversight. That should alarm every Australian.”

The senator further warned that this move is part of a broader shift towards a digital surveillance state, under the pretense of protecting children online. He pointed to the UK as an example, where similar measures have resulted in the suppression of journalism, censorship of dissenting opinions, and a stifling of public discourse.

“That’s the direction Labor and the Greens are steering Australia towards,” he warned.

The decision to block the inquiry comes amid growing concerns over digital privacy and the unchecked power of regulatory bodies like the eSafety Commissioner. The Online Safety Code is set to be enforced later this year, despite ongoing criticism from free speech and privacy advocates.