Labor has initiated a Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, to inquire into and report on the risk posed to Australia’s democracy by foreign interference through social media platforms – including Facebook, Twitter and WeChat. The rise of ‘fake news’ and misinformation campaigns present a very real and present danger to democracy not only in Australia, but across the globe. We must protect our democracy from malicious foreign actors.  

Since taking on this portfolio I’ve tried to talk with as many community sector organisations as I can. More importantly, I’ve tried to visit them. I think that seeing and understanding the places where organisations do their work is an important part of understanding that work. You can sometimes learn a lot about the lived values of an organisation from the spaces they create – and it can change the conversation to sit in a room that just earlier that day was used to meet clients or host a playgroup.

Fiona Phillips and I visited Cullunghutti Aboriginal Child and Family Centre in Nowra. The Centre is a great example of how early childhood education can support communities.