Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gives his first press conference following the 2025 election and his return from Government House …
Good morning, everyone. Can I begin by saying how proud I am to stand before you as the first prime minister since John Howard to serve a full term and be returned as the leader of this great nation. And to the Australian people, thank you for your continued faith in me and my government.
But I will not pretend this has been an easy campaign for Labor. We have retained government, but at a cost. The Noalition’s lies, negativity and scare campaigns were brutally effective. They have increased their parliamentary numbers, but only by deceiving voters.
Make no mistake: dishonesty is in their DNA. Today they told another outright lie in claiming I told voters I would never do a deal with the Greens in the event of a hung parliament. But I gave no such undertaking. And consistent with my ethos of working to bring Australians together, I look forward to Greens leader Adam Bandt joining us in cabinet.
During the campaign I met with and spoke to many Australians. And all of them, without exception, told me the times are such they find it impossible to separate truth and lies. “Albo,” they said, “you are doing a fantastic job, but we need your government to do more to protect us against disinformation”.
Disinformation is a danger to democracy. It is the second-biggest threat to social cohesion after Islamophobia. Those who disseminate it are well-versed in deception, and many ordinary Australians do not have the skills to navigate the complexities of fast flowing information. That is why my government introduced the draft Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Bill last year.
Much has been said about this bill, but my friend and colleague, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, said it best during an interview last year. He said, and I quote, “The steps that we are taking when it comes to misinformation and disinformation are about protecting and cherishing and advancing free speech, not censoring it”.
Jim was spot on. The only way to advance and cherish free speech is if my government controls, regulates, and removes information on digital platforms as we see fit. This is not censorship. I do not apologise for advancing free speech or for protecting Australians.
Not surprisingly, the purveyors of disinformation fought furiously against this bill. They falsely claimed it would create a “chilling effect” on free speech. They said giving Communications Minister Michelle Rowland the power to order the Australian Communications and Media Authority to investigate a social media platform was “draconian”. Sadly, good does not always prevail over evil, and our bill was defeated.
Like many Labor politicians, I know too well what it is like to be the victim of disinformation. So many examples come to mind, all of which were intended to portray me as dishonest, evasive, and untrustworthy. I had allegedly promised to deliver the Morrison government’s stage three tax cuts in full. I had supposedly backed this up by saying, “My word is my bond”.
I had apparently dismissed as “complete nonsense” reports that I would appoint Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the US if Labor won. I had supposedly said I would not alter tax provisions for superannuation. But I never said any of these things. Next thing you know they will claim I promised I would not review negative gearing!
I want to talk more about the disinformation bill and the reason it was defeated. As you know we, in good faith, made the decision to exempt mainstream media from its application. That was because we in Labor believe, and we still do, that a free press is the cornerstone of a free society.
The media exercises great power, and with that power comes responsibility. But as we have seen during the last three years, it sometimes falls short of that responsibility. It amplifies and perpetuates the disinformation of others. And increasingly, so-called journalists and commentators create disinformation. This situation cannot be allowed to continue.
We witnessed this during the voice referendum. Certain sections of the media – I’m not going to name which one – took a partisan stance, rather than observing their ethical obligation to report the facts. They poisoned the public mind. They lied in claiming I had refused to provide full details on how the voice would operate. They ridiculed my assurances this proposal was “just good manners”. They disputed my claims this was merely about recognising Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the constitution.
As I said, I am not going to single out any particular outlet. But you know who they are. Like I said last year, “There are some journalists who [are] more stenographers, in particular in the right-wing media, than actual journalists”. They are a “cheer squad” for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, I said. They intentionally blur news with opinion.
It is the role of the media to report facts and offer informed and fair commentary. But a noisy minority do not do this. They slander my government in alleging our response to the Middle East conflict is dictated by the demographics of Western Sydney seats. They contest the fact that renewables are the cheapest form of energy. They falsely claim that going nuclear will ensure reliable energy and net-zero emissions. They even ridicule Labor’s protests that nuclear reactors will result in three-eyed fish.
My government will ensure this pretend journalism no longer deceives the public. Accordingly, our revised disinformation bill will now apply to the media. For those journalists and commentators who take exception, I say you have nothing to fear if you report the truth. Just tell it straight and be upfront, like I always do. And for the Opposition, I say your vote on this issue will reveal to the world if you are for or against disinformation. It is as simple as that.
Lastly, I just want to mention misinformation. It is as insidious as disinformation. As Dr Chalmers said last year, misinformation can damage the economy, and it is incumbent on us to be alert to this. I want everyone to think carefully about what they say and write, particularly when it is detrimental to good government.
Again, no names, but a certain RBA governor falsely claimed last year that government spending was prolonging high interest rates.
That is all I have to say about our disinformation bill. Remember, Labor stands for truthfulness. We stand for integrity. We stand for honesty. I am Labor to the core. You have no need to ask, ‘What does Albanese stand for’, because you already know.
Journalist: It stands for “Another Longwinded Bullshit-Artist and a Notoriously Erratic and Spineless Embarrassment”?
Albanese: That’s – that’s disinformation! Michelle! Michelle!
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