Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
Labour has cleared the way for the Government’s proposed social media crackdown to progress, announcing it will support the Bill through its first reading — but only if it goes to a select committee before the election.
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said the party is backing the Bill at this early stage because parents need stronger protections against online harm, but stressed the legislation is far from finished.
“We want to help parents keep kids safe from online harm. We take this very seriously and need to make sure legislation is fit for purpose, and the select committee process will provide an opportunity for the Bill to be improved,” Hipkins said.
Hipkins added that with Labour’s support, the Government has “no reason to delay” and should move quickly to pass the first reading before voters go to the polls. “Labour is prepared to do the work to improve this legislation. The sooner we get this process underway the better.”
The Bill, which aims to introduce new safety requirements for social media platforms and stronger protections for young users, has already drawn debate over how far the Government should go in regulating online content.
Labour’s science, technology and innovation spokesperson Reuben Davidson said the party wants to ensure the proposed safety measures don’t unintentionally create new problems.
“The Bill is not perfect and undoubtedly can be improved. We particularly want to make sure the proposed safety nets don’t do more harm than good,” Davidson said.
He emphasised that sending the Bill to a select committee would give all New Zealanders the chance to have their say — including parents, tech experts, and civil liberties groups.
With Labour’s backing, the Government now has the numbers to advance the legislation, setting up a potentially fast‑moving debate on how New Zealand should police the digital world.
