The Albanese government has dumped its plan to regulate online misinformation.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland confirmed over the weekend the bill had no chance of passing the Senate. 

“Based on public statements and engagements with senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate,” she said.  

The legislation sought to give the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) powers to tackle harmful online content, including foreign disinformation and vaccine misinformation. 

However, critics argued it risked free speech and placed too much authority in regulators' hands.  

The bill had been rejected by the Coalition, Greens, and crossbench senators. 

Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman called it “appalling”, claiming it would have forced platforms to over-censor content to avoid penalties.  

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young acknowledged its intent but criticised the execution, saying it was “badly and poorly explained”.  

Meanwhile, another contentious proposal to restrict gambling advertising will also not proceed this week, despite calls from some Labor backbenchers for a complete ban. 

While not formally abandoned, time constraints have stalled progress on the bill.  

“There simply is not going to be enough time this week to pass that legislation,” Labor frontbencher Senator Murray Watt explained.  

Hanson-Young dismissed this as an excuse, accusing the government of prioritising powerful interests. 

“Rather than standing up to big gambling companies and media organisations, the government is squibbing it,” she said.  

With one sitting week left, the government is racing to clear its legislative agenda. It is likely to be the final parliamentary session before an election next year.  

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