2026-10-12
US President Donald Trump announced last week that the execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad would be livestreamed.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has written to the Minister for Communications and the eSafety Commissioner, urging them to take all necessary steps to ensure the execution is not broadcast or accessible in Australia through online platforms, free-to-air television or streaming services.
The Senator is also calling for regulatory action against any major platforms that allow the broadcast to be accessed by Australians.
Greens spokesperson for Communications, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“This is an unconscionable, abhorrent act which will expose an immeasurable amount of people to harm, including millions of Australians, including children.
“This act of state-sanctioned killing should have no place in any society, let alone ours. It cannot be allowed to circulate unchecked and unregulated across the feeds of Australians and our children.
“Let’s be clear: the Australian Government can stop this barbaric content from appearing on our feeds.
“They have done so before in the wake of the Christchurch attack, when the eSafety Commissioner issued a directive to block eight sites hosting the video and manifesto of this dreadful act of terrorism.
“Both the Online Safety Act and the Criminal Code give the eSafety Commissioner and the Government the powers and tools they need to stop this footage from appearing in Australians’ feeds. The Government just needs to find the courage to act now before it’s too late.
“We cannot sit back and hope Big Tech will do the right thing. When have they ever put people’s safety ahead of their profits?
“Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and their tech-bro mates cannot be allowed to put our online safety at risk to boost their own profits.
“Countries around the world are stepping up and looking at how they can protect their people from this horrific footage. Australia must do the same.
“We have an opportunity to show leadership in this space, and a real chance not only to protect Australians, but also set a global precedent of how this vile material must be dealt with.