Opinion
Updated ,first published
The Albanese government’s new social media laws, known as the Digital Duty of Care bill, don’t have many friends in Canberra.
So an event hosted by TikTok, which promised appearances from the creators that make its “For You feed worth scrolling”, the night before Labor was poised to introduce laws that would force the platform to allow users to opt out of its algorithm, was always going to set tongues wagging.
Among those who dropped in at the gathering, at the Kingston Hotel on Wednesday evening, was One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. Not a total surprise, given the senator’s status as a certified hater of the Albanese government’s proposed laws.
Also there, we’re told, were Labor MPs Ed Husic, Justine Elliot and Jo Briskey. Labor’s special envoy for international human rights Mark Dreyfus was also seen milling about the Kingo but his office told CBD he was only there for dinner, not for the event. South Australian Liberal MP Tom Venning was also there, we’re told, as was Fiona Patten, the former Victorian MP.
Word is there were about 150 people jammed into the favoured watering hole of the capital’s politicians and journalists, who were promised appearances from some of TikTok’s biggest local creators, including Elle Ray, Rueben Cherrington and high-profile media personality Dr Karl. Dr Karl, however, sent late apologies and never fronted. Apparently he had another event to attend but he was seen walking the halls of parliament with team TikTok earlier in the day, taking selfies with MPs. TikTok declined to comment on the event.
This is the kind of activity that government relations types in Canberra like to call “public affairs”, gently building a case for why what the government may have in store for its business – new obligations and requirements related to its algorithm – would hurt all the people who love its platform.
In other words, Wednesday night’s event was booked well before it was known how Labor’s Digital Duty of Care bill would take shape and when it would be introduced, and could under no circumstances be described as lobbying. Just fortuitous timing!
Wes cops one in the AI
Former Rabbitohs player Wes Maas′ construction equipment and services company Maas Group has been one of the biggest casualties of the Firmus meltdown over the past week.
So pour one out for the man himself, whose personal holding in the company has taken a haircut to the tune of about $200 million.
It’s been a brutal week. Maas, of course, holds a 3.2 per cent stake in Firmus, the crypto miner-turned-data centre developer that has dominated headlines recently, after its plans to float on the ASX fell apart after foreign investors cooled on the company. Beyond Maas Group’s stake in Firmus, it also expected to draw roughly 60 per cent of revenue from the data centre firm. Maas Group didn’t respond to a request for comment by deadline.
As a result, shares in the ex-NRL player’s ASX-listed company have collapsed, falling to $3.24 a pop in afternoon trading on Thursday, a three-year low. Maas owns about 50.6 per cent of shares in the company, which on October 9 were worth $828.3 million. On Thursday his stake was worth $627.9 million. Ouch.
Oktoberfest runs dry
The TikTok party wasn’t the only event in Canberra on Wednesday evening. But it sounds like the nation’s elected officials might’ve had a better chance of getting a drink there.
The other event was Oktoberfest drinks hosted by the Australia-Germany Interparliamentary Group in the courtyard of Parliament House, where we’re told the beers amusingly ran dry before all the guests had a chance to drop in.
Word is the organisers went all in, even if they underestimated the demand for the Hofbrau Original on tap. There were people donning lederhosen, we’re told, and even some oompah music.
The courtyard was teeming with MPs, according to our CBD spies. Labor MPs Justine Elliot and Tania Lawrence were seen making the most of the festivities, we’re told, as was Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor even dropped in, we hear, before being seen walking away from the action looking a little frustrated. But our spy couldn’t tell whether it was because the beer had run dry.
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CORRECTION
An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Australian Banking Association chief Simon Birmingham as an attendee at the Australia-Germany Interparliamentary Group event.
