Chris Minns deplores X refusal to take down posts of week’s Sydney violence

The NSW Premier has criticised X (Twitter) after the social media platform retained graphic content, as tributes flowed for Westfield victims and emergency services.

Chris Minns has taken aim at social media platform X after it challenged the eSafety commissioners’ orders to remove graphic content from the site following two violent attacks in Sydney.

The NSW Premier was fielding questions at a press conference on Saturday morning to mark one week since the Westfield Bondi Junction tragedy, when he was asked about owner Elon Musk’s opposition to the orders.

“I’m shocked but I’m not surprised,” Mr Minns said.

“This is exactly as I’d suspect from X or Twitter or whatever you want to call it – a disregard for the information that they pump into our communities – lies and rumours spreading like wildfire – and then when things go wrong, throwing their hands up in the air saying they’re not prepared to do anything about it,” he said.

In his condemnation of the platform, Mr Minns referred to the ‘major incident’ that unfolded in Wakeley in Sydney’s west on Monday night after Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a live-streamed mass at Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church.

Chris Minns had stern words for social media giant X and owner Elon Musk. Picture: Supplied/Scentre Group Corporate Affairs

He spoke briefly about the challenges faced by police when they attempted to attend the scene and make an arrest while a “wildfire” of social media misinformation fuelled the riot.

“We’ve had enough, Sydney has had enough,” he said.

“To think about young police officers who have to go into harms way to calm down a riot based on a rumour or innuendo, means that their job is virtually, it’s next to impossible for them.

“So it’s about time that we strengthen rules in relation to the eSafety commissioner, or the federal government or penalties that are in place for social media companies.

“We would all be in favour of that because it’s hard enough to calm down a community at 2pm on a Friday afternoon, to do it at one or two in the morning when rumours are spreading like wildfire is virtually impossible,” he said.

X (formally known as Twitter) said earlier it had received a “demand” from the federal eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, to take down posts of the attacks or face a daily fine of $785,000.

“The Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered X to remove certain posts in Australia that publicly commented on the recent attack against a Christian bishop. These posts did not violate X’s rules on violent speech,” the statement said.

Mr Minns said ‘Sydney has had enough’ with the consequences of social media ‘wildfires’ after the Wakeley riot. Picture: Liam Mendes

“X believes that eSafety’s order was not within the scope of Australian law and we complied with the directive pending a legal challenge.”

Despite his stern words for X, Mr Minns made sure the attention was focused on last Saturday’s Westfield Bondi Junction attack as he thanked emergency services and paid tribute to the six victims.

Mr Minns spoke from the Central Ambulance Station in Sydney’s inner west on Saturday morning to express his support for the victims’ families after the shopping centre reopened for trade on Friday.

“It is one week since the terrible crimes in Bondi and for a community that is still dealing with the trauma and grief … the people of NSW want to send a message to those that have lost loved ones that we are behind them, that this is a difficult period, and that they are not alone,” Mr Minns said.

“It is also an opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the professionalism and bravery of many people in NSW.

“This Glebe (Ambulance) station was one of the stations deployed to the operations in Bondi Junction and no doubt saved many peoples lives.”

Chris Minns has again paid tribute to the victims of the Westfield Bondi Junction attack after the tragedy. Picture: Ayush Kumar / AFP

Mr Minns also encouraged members of the public to attend a candlelight vigil to be held for the victims at the Dolphin Court near Bondi Beach Pavilion at 5:30pm on Sunday.

He urged the community to bring a candle, commemorate, and take the “opportunity to lean on one another during what has been a terrible week for the city”.

“If we can stand together during these difficult periods we can send a message that there are far more good people in this city than there are bad actors, than there is evil,” Mr Minns said.

“The (victims’ families) have said unanimously that they can feel the community support behind them and they’ve drawn some solace from the fact there are millions of people in their corner during this difficult period.”

Mr Minns expressed his gratitude for the first responders who attended the scene of the attack and acknowledged many staff were on stress leave, supported by services put in place with the commissioners for NSW Ambulance and Police.

“The dedication of paramedics and police officers to the people of this state is beyond peer and we are deeply grateful,” he said.

“They have lived up to the best traditions of public service in NSW and this generation, not withstanding the fact it has been a very difficult week, have lived up to their calling,’’ he said.

Mr Minns thanked emergency services for their efforts. Picture: Ayush Kumar / AFP

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the candlelight vigil on Sunday night. Picture: Ayush Kumar / AFP

“It is a reminder these are not ordinary jobs and we often ask young people to put themselves in harms way to keep us safe and to save lives.

“My hope is that mixed in with that emotion is pride in the job they have done on behalf of the people of NSW,” Mr Minns said, referring to his meeting with Inspector Amy Scott who shot dead perpetrator Joel Cauchi, 40, after he stabbed 18 people last Saturday.

Six people were killed in the attack – Dr Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27, and Faraz Tahir, 30.