Opposition Leader Sides With Musk on Global Takedown Issue, Says Australia Cannot Be the ‘Internet Police’

Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton is seen during a Q&A at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit, in Sydney, Australia on March 12, 2024. AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has sided with X Corp owner Elon Musk against Australia’s internet content regulator, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Earlier this week, the Federal Court ordered X to take down posts globally of videos of an alleged stabbing incident that occurred at a church in western Sydney. The service was being live-streamed, and videos of the attack quickly spread on social media.

The commissioner initially issued an order to tech firms threatening fines if the material wasn’t removed globally, but after Mr. Musk indicated his company wouldn’t comply, Ms. Inman Grant sought an injunction, which was granted.

During a recent hearing, the Australian Federal Police said the video could be used to encourage people to join a terrorist organisation or undertake a terrorist act.

X’s legal representative, Marcus Hoyne, argued there were significant legal issues with Ms. Inman Grant’s powers to regulate content overseas.

The interim injunction was subsequently extended until 5 p.m. on May 10, before another hearing.

During a radio interview on April 25, Mr. Dutton called the commissioner’s demands for the global removal of footage “silly,” saying Australia “can’t be the internet police of the world” and that Australian law should not influence what content can be seen overseas.

“We can have a say about what images are online here in our country, we can’t influence what happens elsewhere in the world. I think it’s silly to try that,” he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“We can’t be the internet police of the world, I know the prime minister’s trying that at the moment. If we have a situation where you’ve got a cleric being stabbed, and that’s inciting violence, the law is very clear about the ability to take that down—but I don’t think the law extends to other countries, nor should it.”

A day later, Mr. Dutton reiterated his position saying, “we can’t pretend that Australia can dictate to other countries around the world what people see within their countries.”

“We wouldn’t tolerate that here, that Russia could dictate what content is seen in Australia,” he told Nine’s Today Show on April 26. “We need to be realistic about what the options are here, we can’t police the whole internet across the world, but we can influence what happens in Australian society.

Mr. Dutton had earlier expressed scepticism about whether Australia’s jurisdiction extended that far when the issue broke out.

“When Elon Musk says that there’s not extraterritorial reach—that is the Australian law can’t apply to other parts of the world—I’m sure that’s the case. But in terms of the content, which is displayed here, or broadcast here, well the Australian law does apply,” Mr. Dutton said on April 22.

Deputy Leader 100 Percent Behind Global Takedown

But his deputy has taken the opposite view.

Deputy Leader Sussan Ley said she was “disappointed” with Mr. Musk’s response, and backed Ms. Inman Grant “100 percent.”

“I’m for X obeying the law, and I’m not for the actions and the statements of our eSafety commissioner being ignored,” she said.

When it was put to her that the X Corp owner had argued Australia should have no rights to tell the company what to do in other countries—the same argument advanced by Mr. Dutton—Ms. Ley said: “That’s patently ridiculous, of course we should.”

However many other Coalition figures are supporters of Mr. Musk and oppose the commissioner’s action.

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan claimed “the PM has launched a useless and ineffective jihad against a video that more people have seen because of his over the top reaction.”

Meanwhile, an X spokesperson said: “X is in compliance with Australian law, has restricted all the relevant content in Australia and is removing any content that praises or celebrates the attacks.”