Live: Parents, experts to give evidence at Digital Duty of Care inquiry

A Senate inquiry into the federal government's Digital Duty of Care legalisation kicks off today and will hear from parents and experts. Follow all the updates in our live blog. Mon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:27amMon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:27amAnika Wells says she accepts Australians are feeling under pressureAnika Wells says she accepts Australians are feeling under pressure, with new polling showing just 20 per cent of Australians trust the prime minister.A Resolve Political Monitor poll published in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age shows just over 40 per cent of Australians blame Labor for rising living costs.Speaking to Channel Nine, the communications minister says people have a right to feel under pressure and want to send a message to the government."People are under a lot of pressure and these are difficult and tricky times, and Australians want their lawmakers, their governments to know that that's understandable and that's and that's their right and we hear that feedback," Wells says."That's why we're here in Canberra to work on MYEFO [mid-year economic and fiscal outlook], to deliberate on what savings we can make ahead of MYEFO, just as we have in all previous budget packages."Mon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:10amMon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:10amPlibersek and Wilson clash on private health rebate for over-65sSocial Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson have clashed on the private health insurance rebate for over-65s.Labor has been under pressure to find savings as inflation and government spending rise as a share of GDP.In May's budget, the government proposed winding back the private health insurance rebate for over-65s, in what will save the budget $3 billion.But Labor has so far been unsuccessful passing the changes through parliament, because the Coalition and Greens won't support the measure."This is about people on the same income getting the same rebate, not based on age," Plibersek tells Channel Seven."How is it fair that two households on the same income get different rebates? That's what we're proposing and that's what Tim's opposing."But Wilson says the measure is an "assault on pensioners" and will cause more elderly Australians to end up in the public hospital system."You get those people off the private health system, they go on the public health system and the cost for the taxpayer soars," Wilson says.Mon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:07amMon 9 Nov 2026 at 7:07amDigital Duty of Care Senate inquiry to begin todayA Senate inquiry is set to get underway today into the government's proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation.Communications Minister Anika Wells says algorithms and AI tools need to be regulated to protect people from online harms, and tech companies will be slapped with fines of $109 million if they fail to mitigate the risks.The legislation also aims to ban nudify apps and to give social media users the choice to opt in or out of the algorithm on their feeds.The legislation was introduced to the House of Representatives and passed in October, without Coalition support.Experts and parents will give evidence during the two-day inquiry, and Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said she will "kick the tyres and hold Big Tech's feet to the fire to ensure these laws have teeth".Mon 9 Nov 2026 at 6:56amMon 9 Nov 2026 at 6:56amGood morning 👋Hello and welcome to our federal politics live blog! It's great to have you here early on a Monday morning.I'm Josh Boscaini joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all of today's federal politics news.We're likely to hear a bit about Labor's proposed Digital Duty of Care legislation, which will face scrutiny at a Senate inquiry kicking off today.Let's get right into the day and see what happens!