JAYNE AZZOPARDI, CO-HOST: Well, Labor's proposed hate speech laws appear destined for failure before even making it to Parliament.

JOEL DRY, CO-HOST: Despite calling for urgent action, the Coalition now says the laws are unsalvageable, while the Greens say they are also opposed. Communications Minister Anika Wells joins us now from Brisbane. Anika, good morning. Let's start with Sussan Ley. She spoke to today just moments ago. Have a listen.

[Excerpt]

SUSSAN LEY: When Labor's own members of Parliament are calling this a [censored], their words, and a shambles on the front page of today's papers, that tells you all you need to know about how this bill is totally not fit for purpose.

[End of excerpt]

DRY: Yeah, that doesn't sound like positive words for this bill. Anika, what's your response to that? 

MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS ANIKA WELLS: The Opposition Leader is always very keen to talk tough when it comes to playing politics on things like breakfast television, but ultimately she leads a very divided party who consistently fails to deliver. And in this moment where our countrymen are calling for national unity, what they want is also unity of purpose and delivery, and that's why we're going to Parliament next week to try and make this work, try and get these reforms done.

AZZOPARDI: But you need someone else to vote for it in the Senate in order to make this law. So does the government have a plan B? Are you willing to make changes? 

WELLS: Look, we've had the offer open for amendments. The committee continues today and will wrap up ahead of Parliament being recalled early on Monday and Tuesday. But honestly, I think the Opposition Leader calling this unsalvageable flies against the very tenets of why we have a Parliament in the first place. Australians elect us to go to parliament to work together, to work through difficult and complex issues and reach an outcome that serves the people. And that's what we, the Albanese Government, will be going to parliament next week to do.

DRY: So the numbers in Parliament dictate you have to negotiate with someone. You can't get there yourself. So what is your path to success? Who do you think you are likely to reach some sort of consensus with to get these laws passed?

WELLS: Well, like I touched on earlier, the Opposition Leader leads a deeply divided party. She can't speak on behalf of her entire opposition because they're all providing different positions at the moment. The committee continues. Parliament will not return until Monday. 24 hours is a very long time in politics. We will continue to work with whoever we need to in order to get these really important reforms through.

AZZOPARDI: So you suggest you could maybe split the Coalition and get some of them to vote for your bill?

WELLS: Well, if you look at the voting record of Coalition members and Senators in particular, even since the election, you'll see that they are a rabble. So we will continue to work with whoever we need to in order to get these really important reforms through.

DRY: Okay, moving on to your portfolio, we're learning this morning that nearly five million accounts have been blocked since your under-16 social media ban took effect. So what happens next?

WELLS: This is an incredible Australian story. We are leading the world. Many people said this could not be done. We have about 1.2 million Australians aged between 13 to 16 and now we have the data that says in the first week of the social media ban 4.7 million accounts were deactivated. This is an incredible Australian story for us to show the world what is possible to give kids back their childhood. I'll be standing with the eSafety Commissioner later today. We'll be talking through this data in more detail, and they are the independent regulator, eSafety. It is their bread and butter to continue to work through this and work will continue to deactivate accounts as they come to light, as new ones are formed, as new platforms come online and we will continue to do that because this is such an important reform that gives kids back their childhood.

DRY: But alarmingly, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, may not be captured by Labor's proposed ban on so-called nudifying apps, despite its explicit content. So do you have plans to change that, to further protect kids?

WELLS: I've been working with eSafety on this. This is really important and dynamic work. It changes week to week. But as we, the Albanese Government, have already flagged, we will be implementing a Digital Duty of Care. That's one of the most important things that I will do as Communications Minister this year. And a Digital Duty of Care asks Australians to be clear about what these platforms owe us, what duty of care they owe us if these platforms seek to conduct business on Australian shores. Something like this, where this behaviour is abhorrent and allowed to roam free on a platform, is a clear breach of duty of care. And that's why the Australian Digital Duty of Care is our incredible and integral next step in this fight.

AZZOPARDI: Finally, Anika, over the Christmas break, the family reunion flights that you charged to taxpayers gained a bit of attention. It seems now under the Prime Minister's proposed changes they would still meet the criteria and be allowable. Are you relieved about that?

WELLS: Look, I'm always mindful of what travel costs. We all are, and I'm sure every Australian would agree with me that I wish travel was less expensive than it is. But when I do travel for work, it is always for work. If my family comes on the weekend, it's very mindfully done and within the rules, and I will continue to follow the rules and continue to work with IPEA about that.

AZZOPARDI: Okay, Anika, as a mum of young kids, I think you probably have more need for family reunion flights than perhaps some others, but thank you for your time joining us this morning.

WELLS: Appreciate that.