Question Time AU

Take Note Debate

Artificial Intelligence

Senate · Tuesday 10 March 2026

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

Senator Jacqui Lambie moved a motion to take note of the Minister for Industry and Innovation's previous answer regarding AI submissions. She argued that the government failed to address whether AI was assessing submissions and criticised the reliance on the advisory AI Safety Institute. Lambie claimed that anonymous sources indicated the government was using AI to transmit Australian data and failing to invest in domestic AI infrastructure. She contrasted Australia's approach with Canada's significant investment and warned against reliance on foreign companies like Palantir. The motion was agreed to by the Senate.

Outcome

The motion was agreed to.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Jacqui Lambie (TAS) (Jacqui Lambie Network) JLN

Lambie argued that the Minister for Industry and Innovation had failed to answer whether AI was being used to assess government submissions. Lambie cited an anonymous source who claimed the government was using AI to collect and transmit Australian data. Lambie criticised the lack of investment in Australian-made AI, contrasting it with Canada's $4.4 billion commitment. Lambie warned that relying on foreign entities like Palantir posed risks regarding data privacy and the use of agentic AI. Lambie also alleged that big tech companies were pressuring the government on copyright laws in exchange for data centre approvals. Lambie called for the appointment of a dedicated minister for AI and urged support for local experts capable of developing small-language models.