The Australian Greens have faced a tumultuous year marked by electoral setbacks and internal challenges. The party lost three of its four lower house seats in the recent election, and one of its senators, Dorinda Cox, defected to the Labor Party. However, the year concluded on a high note with the Greens securing a significant environmental reform deal with the government. This agreement, which promises enhanced protections for the environment, was spearheaded by veteran senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
As the Greens’ spokesperson for both the environment and communications, Hanson-Young has been at the forefront of these negotiations. This week, she addressed the controversial social media ban, labeling it a “fake silver bullet” that could potentially lead to more harm than good for young people.
Social Media Ban: A Controversial Measure
The social media ban, which came into effect this week, aims to protect young people from harmful online content. However, Hanson-Young expressed skepticism about its efficacy. “I have very little hope that the ban as it is right now is going to make young people safer,” she stated, emphasizing the potential for children to end up in “more unsafe spaces.”
Hanson-Young warned that the ban might frustrate parents and fail to deliver on its promises. She voiced concerns about children finding ways to circumvent the ban, potentially exposing them to even more dangerous online environments.
“I’m actually really worried that there’s going to be a lot of kids who fall through the cracks, [who] will find their way back onto social media or find themselves into other online spaces that are even darker and more dangerous.”
Regulating Big Tech: A Call for Action
Hanson-Young advocates for stronger measures to hold big tech companies accountable. She suggests that the government should enable users, particularly young people, to opt out of algorithms that promote harmful content. “If you could turn those algorithms off for young people in particular, that would be a huge step forward to making people safer,” she argued.
She also called for the regulation of algorithms and advertising by these companies, alongside a legislated legal duty of care. According to Hanson-Young, such measures would significantly improve online safety.
“The next thing the government should do, and they should announce it this week, that they’re going to regulate algorithms, they’re gonna regulate the advertising of these big companies, and they’re going to put in place a legislated legal duty of care on these companies.”
Environmental Reforms: A Hard-Won Victory
Despite the challenges, the Greens achieved a notable victory with the passage of reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Hanson-Young described the negotiation process as one of the toughest in her political career, involving extensive back-and-forth discussions before the deal was finalized.
The reforms include new protections for Australian bushland, restrictions on land clearing, and measures to prevent fast-tracking of fossil fuel projects. Hanson-Young emphasized the importance of these outcomes, stating, “These were all important things that we couldn’t let pass us by.”
Political Shifts and Future Prospects
In the wake of former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s move to One Nation, Hanson-Young questioned the longevity of such political alliances. Drawing parallels to past political shifts, she remarked, “It reminds me of kind of what happens over in Trump land; they’re friends until they’re not, and it doesn’t seem to last very long.”
Meanwhile, the Greens are optimistic about their future despite recent setbacks, including the loss of former leader Adam Bandt’s seat. Hanson-Young highlighted the party’s near-record high vote across the country and their successes in South Australia as signs of resilience and recovery.
“The recent environment law reform negotiations, getting that done, having the backing of the community, getting A$50 million dollars extra for the ABC – the Greens are back. We’ve got our confidence back and we’re feeling really good.”
As the Greens look to the future, they remain committed to advocating for environmental protections and holding big tech accountable, aiming to turn challenges into opportunities for growth and reform.
