Sponsor speech Supports
David Coleman
Coleman supports the bill and urges the Albanese government and the Parliament to back it because he says online videos that glorify crime are a serious and widespread problem.
Read in Hansard ↗Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety)
Current status
This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Policy area
Transport & communications
What does this bill do?
Australia would make it a federal crime to post videos or other online content that shows violence, drug offending or property crime when the aim is to build someone’s criminal reputation.
Why was it introduced?
Social media posts showing violence, drug offending or property crime were being used to build criminal notoriety and digital platforms were amplifying that conduct. The bill creates a new federal offence for posting that material for notoriety and lets the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. investigate complaints and order its removal.
Broader context
The Online Safety Act 2021The existing law the bill would amend; it already gives eSafety complaint-handling powers for some harmful online content. had already given the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. complaint-handling and removal powers for harms such as cyber-bullying, but not for posts used to build criminal status by showing assaults, break-ins or drug offending. As crime videos spread on social media and a Queensland victims campaign tied them to a wider youth crime crisis, the Coalition introduced this bill on 25 March 2024 to create a federal notoriety offence and takedown scheme, but it did not pass and was removed from the Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. on 19 November 2024.
Key criticism
The collected source set for this run does not include a sourced public criticism of the bill. The page therefore does not identify a verified case against it from the available evidence.
Who supported it?
David Coleman MPA federal elected representative; the draft names David Coleman MP, who is the bill's sponsor. introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Liberal Party, LNP.
Introduced in House 25 Mar 2024
Failed in House 19 Nov 2024
Did not reach Senate —
Did not become law —
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
239 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Australia would make it a federal crime to post videos or other online content that shows violence, drug offending or property crime when the aim is to build someone’s criminal reputation.
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People could complain to the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. about crime-related posts made to gain notoriety, giving eSafetyAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. a formal role in handling these complaints.
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The eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. could investigate these complaints and order platforms, posters and hosting providers to remove the material, with civil penalties up to $156,500 for non-compliance.
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Online platforms would be expected to reduce this kind of crime-glorifying material on their services as part of Australia’s basic online safety expectationsThe standards the bill expects platforms to meet, including taking reasonable steps to limit criminal activity material and let users report it..
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Courts could ban a convicted person from using a named social media or online service, or limit how they use it, as an extra penalty after this new offence.
Show source excerpts
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This item inserts new subdivision K into Division 474 of the Criminal code. Subdivision K consists of a single section, new section 474.49, which establishes a new offence of posting harmful material to increase notoriety.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum -
The Bill seeks to empower the Commissioner, once a person has made a complaint, to manage instances where criminal activity material is posted on an online service for the purpose of gaining notoriety. The Bill does so by extending the functions of the eSafety Commissioner to include administering a complaints system for criminal activity material.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum -
The Bill gives the eSafety Commissioner the power to investigate any complaint made regarding criminal activity material. If satisfied that the material is or was criminal activity material, the eSafety Commissioner may issue a removal notice to the provider of a social media service, a relevant electronic service or a designated internet service, or to a person who posts criminal activity material, or to a hosting service provider who hosts criminal activity material. Failure to comply with a removal notice may attract a civil penalty of $156,500 or 500 penalty units.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum -
This item adds criminal activity material as a material type for which the provider of the service is to take reasonable steps to minimise the extent to which the material is provided on the service. This item relates to the making of determinations under section 45 in relation to basic online safety expectations.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum -
1 After section 21F Insert: 21G Conditions ceasing or restricting access to online services that a court may impose on online notoriety offenders Order ceasing or restricting access to online services (1) If a court makes a relevant order or passes a relevant sentence in respect of a person convicted of an offence against subsection 474.49(1) of the Criminal Code, the court may, at the same time or at a later time, order the person to: (a) cease using a specified social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service; or (b) only use a specified social media service, relevant electronic service or designated internet service subject to specified conditions.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
The Online Safety Act 2021The existing law the bill would amend; it already gives eSafety complaint-handling powers for some harmful online content. had already given the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. complaint-handling and removal powers for harms such as cyber-bullying, but not for posts used to build criminal status by showing assaults, break-ins or drug offending. As crime videos spread on social media and a Queensland victims campaign tied them to a wider youth crime crisis, the Coalition introduced this bill on 25 March 2024 to create a federal notoriety offence and takedown scheme, but it did not pass and was removed from the Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. on 19 November 2024.
- 2021
Online Safety Act creates eSafetyAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. complaints powers
The existing Act let the eSafety CommissionerAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. handle some harmful online material, creating the model this bill proposed to extend to crime-glorifying posts.
Crimes and Online Safety Legislation Amendment (Combatting Online Notoriety) explanatory memorandum ↗ - 25 Mar 2024
Crime videos on social media are described as a national problem
In the second reading speech, David Coleman said a wave of videos showing home invasions, assaults and other crimes were being posted to glamorise offending and had to be stopped.
Hansard ↗ - 25 Mar 2024
Queensland victims campaign is cited as a trigger for federal action
A supporting speech said people in Toowoomba, Oakey and Pittsworth, including the Voices of Victims group, had pushed the issue as part of a broader youth crime crisis.
Hansard ↗ - 25 Mar 2024
Coalition introduces bill to criminalise online criminal notoriety
The bill was introduced to make it a federal offence to post violence, property crime or drug offending material to increase notoriety and to let eSafetyAustralia's online safety regulator, which this bill would give the power to take complaints and order removals for crime-glorifying posts. order removals after complaints.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 19 Nov 2024
Bill is removed from the Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed.
The proposal did not complete the parliamentary process and was formally removed from the House Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. later that year.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 25 Mar 2024
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 25 Mar 2024
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Removed from the Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. in accordance with (SO 42) 19 Nov 2024
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The collected source set for this run does not include a sourced public criticism of the bill. The page therefore does not identify a verified case against it from the available evidence.
No sourced criticism was collected in this run; this should not be read as proof that no criticism existed.
Votes
Recorded votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Lead voice Supports
Garth Hamilton
Hamilton supports the bill and says it gives effect to a grassroots push from his region to tackle youth crime and the online videos that encourage copycat offending.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
Coalition
2 speakers · 2 support
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David Coleman ★ Coleman supports the bill and urges the Albanese government and the Parliament to back it because he says online videos that glorify crime are a serious and widespread problem.
“It is happening all around the country, and the Albanese government has done precisely nothing about it. There is a very well-established part of Commonwealth law, under the federal Criminal Code, where we can take action. We should take action. We must take action. We shouldn't just sit here and say, 'It is all too hard' or 'It's someone else's problem.' This is an issue that affects thousands of Australians. Action needs to be taken, and that's why this bill is being presented today. It is so important that everyone in this parliament gets behind it.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Garth Hamilton ★ Hamilton supports the bill and says it gives effect to a grassroots push from his region to tackle youth crime and the online videos that encourage copycat offending.
“This has been tearing apart of our communities, and this bill seeks to end the cycle of youth crime. We have seen this become a key recruitment tool. Kids as young as eight years old are watching these videos and then coming out and doing copycat versions of their own, committing the crimes.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Status
- Not Proceeding -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 25 Mar 2024
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 25 Mar 2024
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 19 Nov 2024
House · Removed from the Notice Paper in accordance with (SO 42)
Removed from the Notice PaperThe parliamentary list of business to be dealt with; the bill was later removed from it, which meant it did not proceed. in accordance with (SO 42)
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.