Moroney Sue: Harmful Digital Communications Bill — Referral to Justice and Electoral Committee Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMoroney Sue: Harmful Digital Communications Bill — Referral to Justice and Electoral Committee Second Reading[Sitting date: 24 March 2015. Volume:704;Page:2556. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SUE MORONEY (Labour): This is a split call on the Harmful Digital Communications Bill but we also have a split in the positions that the two parties are taking. Although I want to share and reiterate some of the concerns that the member for the Green Party Gareth Hughes who has just resumed his seat has talked to the House about the Green Party is supporting this legislation whereas the Labour Party is opposing it. Of all the Ministers in that Government I would have thought that it was this particular Minister the Minister of Justice who would have an interest in actually getting this legislation right—getting it right and talking with the other parties so that we can get it as right as we possibly can.The reason why Labour is opposing this bill is that we have a deep concern about cyber-bullying and we want it to be dealt with appropriately and properly. The consideration of this legislation has been rushed. The select committee process was rushed and submissions—very important submissions—were not considered. The Labour Party wants to make sure that when we address this issue we do not have to come back and relitigate it in 2 or 3 years’ time. We want to make sure that we can get it up to speed as much as we can in a fast-changing environment and do that now.I think the Minister may have been having a crack at me before in her speech when she talked about members who vigorously opposed the way in which the sexual violation of young women was spread around on social media where the perpetrators of that crime actually used social media to gloat. I do not resile for 1 minute from that position. But here is the rub Minister. I am informed that this legislation will actually mean that any objectionable material like that has to remain there for public viewing for 48 hours before it gets taken down. And here is the irony. At the moment those providers can take that offensive material down straight away.Hon Amy Adams: They still can.SUE MORONEY: That is right. They can right now Minister. That is the point. And the bill will exacerbate that. So until that issue is resolved until that issue is addressed to the satisfaction of the parties across this Parliament I think it is right and proper that we oppose the bill until some of those concerns are addressed.The Minister’s approach is to scream and yell and bellow across the debating chamber. That actually is not going to address the issues.Hon Amy Adams: You rely on wrong information.SUE MORONEY: What I would like to invite the Minister to do is to engage with the Labour Party to address our concerns.Hon Amy Adams: I’ve been trying. Unfortunately your member won’t.SUE MORONEY: Well so the Minister is agreeing that she will actually—Hon Amy Adams: I’ve said if there’s agreement for the core principles yes; if there isn’t then no.SUE MORONEY: So the Minister is saying that she will engage with us only if we vote for her bill. Is that correct?Hon Amy Adams: I’m saying if you agree on core principles then it is worth working together to get it right.SUE MORONEY: Well we do. We do agree on core principles. So there is a great way forward. I just want to make sure that the Minister is agreeing to meet with the Labour Party to address our concerns.Hon Amy Adams: Vote for the bill if you agree with it.SUE MORONEY: Can the Minister—Hon Amy Adams: Vote for it if you agree with it.SUE MORONEY: So the Minister will not meet with us unless we vote for the bill. Is that correct? Is that correct?Hon Amy Adams: I’ll judge you on your actions.SUE MORONEY: It is a bit unclear. I am not sure whether the Minister is agreeing to meet with us or not. She appears to be saying that she is going to agree to meet with us only if we vote for the bill. That Minister is an appalling approach to this issue. I want to make it clear that the Labour Party will meet with you to have these issues covered—whether you agree with us or not. That is what we want to sit down and have a discussion about. And that attitude from the Minister that I think she is saying she will meet with us only if we vote for the bill—that I am sorry is the reason why these issues will not get addressed properly but I hope she will change her attitude on that. Thank you.