ABC News Breakfast - 10 December 2025

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

Wednesday, 10 December 2025

Transcript

ABC News Breakfast

Topic: Social media ban; Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells’ travel expenses; Parliamentary entitlements.

James Glenday

Well, Melissa McIntosh is the Shadow Communications Minister. She joins us from Sydney. Melissa, do you have any advice to kids who have been booted off social media? How should they be filling their long summer holidays?

Melissa McIntosh

Good morning. Don't move across to another platform, I think, is a bit of advice. And I wish it was so simple as getting kids to get outdoors and have a play and actually speak to your friends directly. We support the social media ban; it was a Coalition policy to begin with. I’ve been a bit tough on the government with the roll out, and I’ll continue to be tough. I’ve seen big gaps and big concerns along the way. But as you said, today is a big day, it’s a world first. We just want to make sure it is right for Australian kids. And I want the government, and I know the Prime Minister was just on before me, and he talked about having those conversations. I want the government to make more investment into the mental health support for young people, particularly during this time. It’s a time that kids will be struggling, so hopefully the Prime Minister might make an announcement that there’s some funding going to these very important organisations.

James Glenday

Big tech companies have opposed these moves pretty vociferously; it has to be said. And we’ve just had the eSafety Commissioner on before the Prime Minister too, and she said, look, this roll out is going to be messy. This is the first time it’s been done. With that in mind, how swiftly would you like to see some of the big tech companies face enforcement action if they’re not doing the right thing, and if they are not cooperating with the law as they should?

Melissa McIntosh

See, this is where my criticism has been. I actually think the government rolled out this ban too quickly. And the Minister for Communications and the eSafety Commissioner have started putting this sort of language in quite recently around messy; it won’t be perfect, please be patient. Well, they should actually just get it right. The big tech companies, I’ve spoken to them as well. There’s some that are still in, some that are out. And this is what I said in the opening. I hope kids aren’t migrating across to those platforms now, because we are hearing that they are. These are social media platforms that you and I probably haven’t really ever heard of, but kids are using them and that’s a concern. So, yes, the platforms have to be held to account. And this is another part of the concern, and sorry to put a dampener on the day, is around they’ve told me that they will compel people to use digital ID, and the Minister’s saying they’re not. But this is very personal information, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, going into data centres offshore. So yes, we do support the intent, let’s protect kids and get them off social media, but we can’t forget all the mechanisms along the way and ensuring it does work the way it should do.

James Glenday

Yeah, I'm sure there's going to be a lot more scrutiny on this as it rolls out and comes into effect, and enforcement takes place. I just wanted to take you to a different issue. We were expecting the communications Minister to be out speaking today, Anika Wells. We invited her on the show, and the Prime Minister got up instead. She has referred her use of taxpayer-funded expenses for audit. She’s always insisted that her spending is within the existing rules. Is it your view though that the rules now need to be changed?

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, and I saw you ask the Prime Minister this question as well. It’s a very valid question. I’m disappointed in his answer that the rules are independent; they’re separate. Well, if you don’t make some sort of change, this is going to continue to happen. People are going to stretch the rules and everyone, as he said, every MP has probaly used family reunion, including myself. But this about the extensive use of it. So, you know, the big dinners overseas, taking your husband to the Formula 1, those types of things, people in the public expect more from politicians. So, I actually would support the rules either even potentially being dropped and reformed in a different way or restricted. I think the Prime Minister should show some leadership on this. This is one of his senior cabinet ministers, and other ministers have been questioned as well, including his own expenses. So, you know, he should stand up and make a change; he should be the person that’s answering these questions right now, otherwise this will continue into the future.

James Glenday

Just very briefly, I mean, your own spending and use of allowances has been raised since you raised your concerns about Anika Wells. Are you confident that all your spending has been within not just the rules, but also what might be broadly termed as the pub test?

Melissa McIntosh

Yeah, when I made my family reunion trips, I went through IPEA, and your viewers probably don’t even know what IPEA is. It’s the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority. I got my travel cleared, and then I had an audit afterwards. So, I know I’m very comfortable that everything is in the clear. So what Anika Wells is going through now, I put forward myself. Following the process is very important. And I think that being reunited with your family – I'm a mum of three kids – is very important as well. But it should be used sparingly. I’ve used it three times in my whole seven years of being a member of Parliament. But, you know, the people of Australia, they are struggling right now, so I think that it’s an even more intense focus on what politicians are doing, and the government itself should be saving money and not spending money.

James Glenday

Melissa McIntosh, we do appreciate you joining the show on a busy day. Thank you.

Melissa McIntosh

Thank you.

[Ends]