Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a great honour and a privilege to stand in support of the Harmful Digital Communications (Unauthorised Posting of Intimate Visual Recording) Amendment Bill and to begin by acknowledging the work of Louisa Wall—the indefatigable Louisa Wall I think we'd call her; certainly the very lucky Louisa Wall—who has repeatedly had her members' bills plucked from the ballot. We have yet another one—well-drafted well-crafted well-thought-out deeply principled and for the public good. So I say to my colleague Louisa Wall thank you for that. We know that in this day and age and in the online environment that we are all now part of and cannot avoid being part of the posting of personal images in a way intended to cause humiliation or embarrassment is now an unfortunate part of that life. We have the Harmful Digital Communications Act which the previous Government passed with the support I think of the vast majority of the House. It was the right thing to do. It reflected the needs of the age and of the mediums that many people communicate in. It is those social media now which provide this easy way for people motivated to do harm to others in order to cause embarrassment to do so by posting intimate images and images that would otherwise be confidential. So it's important that we do have effective remedies for that. I think the Harmful Digital Communications Act in its current form is performing very well. It's achieving much of its purpose. But with the incidence now of what is now dubbed revenge porn—those who deliberately seek and decide because of some sort of huff or some sort of breakdown of personal respect for others to cause harm through posting images—the current Act does not provide enough of a remedy. This will do that—this will do that—and it will clarify the elements of the offence that a person who does those activities will be charged with so it is easier for those considering how to achieve a remedy and how to go after the person who's caused harm. It'll be easier for the prosecutors will be easier for the court and I would hope—as indeed I know Louisa Wall does and indeed Harete Hipango who's just spoken—will achieve justice for those who have been harmed.We know the harm this can cause. It's not just excruciating embarrassment and humiliation; it is anxiety it is depression and it can cause a person's life to be turned upside down. You know the reality is as we go through life and we're forming relationships with others sometimes we come across people who we just don't know every dimension about. We just don't know who we are actually hooking up with. For some people they discover they've met somebody who has pathological tendencies deeply psychologically damaging tendencies and they can cause harm. Harm caused by posting intimate images online can now be dealt with effectively through the remedies contained in this bill. So I would hope that the Justice Committee if the bill succeeds this first reading gives it close attention the attention that it deserves. On that basis I commend the bill to the House.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just before I call the member can I just say that there has been a great deal of discussion on this side of the House especially while the Minister was speaking and it's very difficult when people are speaking to the House and there's a lot of conversation. I noticed the Minister was looking over there. Debate interrupted.The House adjourned at 10 p.m.